Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ladbroke closes 60 shops in Belgium

Patrick Hosking
Thursday 06 August 1992 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

LADBROKE GROUP is to close 60 loss-making betting shops in Flanders, axing about 60 full-time jobs, because of the increase in Belgian betting duty, writes Patrick Hosking.

The closures - more than one-third of the 170-shop bookmaking chain in Flanders - will save 100m Belgian francs (pounds 1.8m) a year, Ladbroke said. It blamed the rise in Belgian betting duty in 1990 from 11 per cent to 15 per cent.

The partial withdrawal from Belgium coincides with a hefty push into Germany. In June, Ladbroke announced plans for a Berlin mega-bookie's with cinema screen and 80 televisions. If the DM3m (pounds 1.1m) pilot project is successful, Ladbroke plans to establish a chain in Germany. Its application to open a betting shop in Dusseldorf was rejected in 1989.

Operating profits from Ladbroke's betting division worldwide fell 30 per cent to pounds 64.5m in 1991. Turnover and the number of bets placed also fell slightly.

Ladbroke is experimenting elsewhere in Europe. Its Texas Homecare division is opening DIY shops in Spain with a local partner. Its Hilton International arm recently paid the Treuhandanstalt privatisation agency DM300m for a hotel in the east of Berlin.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in