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'There's always someone kicking off': the perils of being a bookmaker 'There's always someone kicking off': the perils of being a bookmaker
(about 1 month later)
Harry Vale decided to quit his job as a bookmaker the day a drunken punter forced his face between the protective bars over the betting shop counter and launched an expletive-ridden tirade over a lost bet.Harry Vale decided to quit his job as a bookmaker the day a drunken punter forced his face between the protective bars over the betting shop counter and launched an expletive-ridden tirade over a lost bet.
It was a violent end to a two-year stint with a high street bookmaker in Birmingham, when such displays of rage and desperation became commonplace to Vale.It was a violent end to a two-year stint with a high street bookmaker in Birmingham, when such displays of rage and desperation became commonplace to Vale.
“There’s always someone kicking off on the machines,” Vale said. “A lot of shops are near a pub. You’re always going to get someone who has had a few drinks, lost a bet and takes it out at the machine. Everybody who works in a bookies has seen someone throw a chair or do something stupid. I’ve seen people punch the machine, spit at the machines. I’ve seen people try and wrench them from the wall. I had one guy, he poured coffee into the machine.”“There’s always someone kicking off on the machines,” Vale said. “A lot of shops are near a pub. You’re always going to get someone who has had a few drinks, lost a bet and takes it out at the machine. Everybody who works in a bookies has seen someone throw a chair or do something stupid. I’ve seen people punch the machine, spit at the machines. I’ve seen people try and wrench them from the wall. I had one guy, he poured coffee into the machine.”
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Vale once arrived for a shift at one of the 12 betting shops at which he worked to discover a chilling note left by a colleague the night before: “Had to call an ambulance yesterday, customer got his ear bitten off.”Vale once arrived for a shift at one of the 12 betting shops at which he worked to discover a chilling note left by a colleague the night before: “Had to call an ambulance yesterday, customer got his ear bitten off.”
But Vale was not fazed. From dealing with aggressive teenagers who refuse to show identification to being called a “jobsworth prick” and being threatened with stabbing and vandalism, he was “used to it”.But Vale was not fazed. From dealing with aggressive teenagers who refuse to show identification to being called a “jobsworth prick” and being threatened with stabbing and vandalism, he was “used to it”.
He was once subjected to apparent racism when a customer screamed: “No, you fucking listen, you fucking white cunt,” at him.He was once subjected to apparent racism when a customer screamed: “No, you fucking listen, you fucking white cunt,” at him.
After a fellow colleague – 55-year-old Andrew Iacovou – was murdered by a customer with a claw hammer in 2013, Vale became more sensitive to the almost-daily bouts of abuse and outbursts of aggression.After a fellow colleague – 55-year-old Andrew Iacovou – was murdered by a customer with a claw hammer in 2013, Vale became more sensitive to the almost-daily bouts of abuse and outbursts of aggression.
Then in 2014 he experienced the wildest confrontation to which he had ever been subjected and decided enough was enough.Then in 2014 he experienced the wildest confrontation to which he had ever been subjected and decided enough was enough.
“A customer, who was a regular, who had previously been OK, but he was always fairly drunk, but in control of himself, put on a really large bet and wanted to change the price after we’d taken the price, which is something we don’t do,” Vale told the Guardian.“A customer, who was a regular, who had previously been OK, but he was always fairly drunk, but in control of himself, put on a really large bet and wanted to change the price after we’d taken the price, which is something we don’t do,” Vale told the Guardian.
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“He was really annoyed about it, throughout the race he was giving me evil eyes, which at first I thought was just typical angry behaviour. After the race, he lost and he started screaming at me, he was angry. Luckily I had bars in front of me on my counter screen, he was putting his face through the bars. He was being super-aggressive. It was the last angry customer that made me think, ‘I don’t feel safe any more’. It’s not worth it.”“He was really annoyed about it, throughout the race he was giving me evil eyes, which at first I thought was just typical angry behaviour. After the race, he lost and he started screaming at me, he was angry. Luckily I had bars in front of me on my counter screen, he was putting his face through the bars. He was being super-aggressive. It was the last angry customer that made me think, ‘I don’t feel safe any more’. It’s not worth it.”
Crucially, like Iacovou, Vale was “single-manning” the branch at the time – he was alone. It is a policy for which bookmakers have faced significant criticism. The bookmaker has pledged to review the policy but any action has been delayed.Crucially, like Iacovou, Vale was “single-manning” the branch at the time – he was alone. It is a policy for which bookmakers have faced significant criticism. The bookmaker has pledged to review the policy but any action has been delayed.
Vale said he was not equipped to deal with such violence. After six months in the role he was offered a course on how to deal with trouble customers. “They would send us memos saying ‘we don’t expect you to be psychologists’ but then we had this training on how to look after customers and spot the psychological signs that a customer is about to flip out at you,” he said. “It was weird.”Vale said he was not equipped to deal with such violence. After six months in the role he was offered a course on how to deal with trouble customers. “They would send us memos saying ‘we don’t expect you to be psychologists’ but then we had this training on how to look after customers and spot the psychological signs that a customer is about to flip out at you,” he said. “It was weird.”
Vale ultimately decided that personal safety trumped job security and left. He now works as a freelancer, conducting delay tests on websites.Vale ultimately decided that personal safety trumped job security and left. He now works as a freelancer, conducting delay tests on websites.
“It’s a little boring but safer than the bookies.”“It’s a little boring but safer than the bookies.”