bingo in cork city and county

Show Time

evilivor wrote: »

Have you evidence this is a fly by night operation?

Just a saying.:rolleyes:

My point is that a lot of sports clubs around the city will be hit hard by this.:(

cordub

Show Time wrote: »

Just a saying.:rolleyes:

My point is that a lot of sports clubs around the city will be hit hard by this.:(

thats like saying supermarkets shouldnt have been allowed open up because of the small shops. stupid reason if you ask me , are you saying all the bingo run in cork is for charities because if you are thats rubbish. i know lots of pubs and gaa clubs who run it purely to get buisiness for the place itself def not for charity

evilivor

Show Time wrote: »

evilivor wrote: »

Have you evidence this is a fly by night operation?

Just a saying.:rolleyes:

My point is that a lot of sports clubs around the city will be hit hard by this.:(

I know it's a saying - it's a derisive term for a business that may be transient and/or untrustworthy. Have you evidence for this?

Show Time

evilivor wrote: »

I know it's a saying - it's a derisive term for a business that may be transient and/or untrustworthy. Have you evidence for this?

What the f**k has it got to do with you?

Any business that would take money from local sports clubs can't be good for the city,

curly from cork

I certainly would nt be calling anyone a fly by night operator, especially as one of the newspapers reported the owner to be a business man of "impeccable character"

It was agreed by all parties, including the objectors, that the managing director of Omega, James Barber, was a man of impeccable character.

Quote from Irish Examiner

The Barbers have been operating at the address for over a quarter of a century as Waters Glass. James Barber, one of the family owners of the development said: “We have been located at this premises for over quarter of a century. As an owner of Waters Glass I was devastated in March of this year when we had to close our doors and let so many staff go. At its peak Waters Glass employed 65 people. Since then I have been diligently looking for a new business to replace the lost jobs to the area, which has been quite challenging in the current environment, as you can imagine. Quote from Cork Indo

Good luck to them. Great to see employment in the area. What from what I hear local charities , hospitals and clubs will benefit hugely from the bingo proceeds. Under licensing laws you have to give a certain proportion of your takings to charity.
Latest update from their FB page ( runs for cover )

Rock Bingo Cork
Rock Bingo will open it's doors at 6:30 pm Tuesday 1st of November with the main Bingo session at 8 pm sharp.

craftypaddy

bingo cancelled tonight, got a text this evening, shame would have been a good night, 10 grand prize....:(

Show Time

Cops stopped it just before it started.

craftypaddy

do they not have a licence then ?

curly from cork

They are definitely legal, some guards think they rule the world .



A company operating a bingo hall in Cork city has secured a temporary High Court order restraining interference with its activities after bingo books were seized by gardaí earlier this week, preventing a bingo session proceeding.
Omega Leisure Ltd, trading as Rock Bingo Club, which says it is operating as an agent for a hospital charity under a valid lottery licence, claims Supt Charles Barry, based in Togher, Cork city, is operating a “systematic policy” of ensuring gambling does not take place in his area.
Supt Barry had inspected the bingo hall at Deanrock, Togher, on Monday and, the following day, obtained a District Court warrant under which he went with gardaí to the premises half an hour before the bingo was due to start, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill was told today.
On the basis of claims of an unlawful lottery, bingo books and other materials were seized, the bingo game was unable to proceed, patrons had to be turned away and there was concern this might happen again, said Constance Cassidy SC, for Omega Leisure Ltd, trading as Rock Bingo Club.
The company had spent €750,000 fitting out the 1,000-seat hall and planned to run bingo games five nights a week with the first game intended for Tuesday last.
The company last week initiated proceedings against Supt Barry, the Garda Commissioner and the State and Mr Justice O’Neill today granted it an interim order, returnable to Friday next, restraining interference with its licensed activities.
Ms Cassidy said the defendants had been informed of her side’s intention to seek the interim order and she understood they would appear when the matter came before the court on Friday.
While assurances had been provided to the court on behalf of the defendants to the High Court at a hearing last Saturday, it appeared Supt Barry was “sidestepping” those and had taken matters into his own hands, counsel said.
Her client would be seeking a court declaration that its activity is lawful as Supt Barry appeared to believe a lottery license requires the license applicant to carry on trade at the premises in question when that was not the case, counsel said.
The company says it is entitled to run bingo games for charities which have been issued lottery licence for the relevant district. It says it entered an agency agreement on October 12th last with the Mercy Hospital Foundation, a charity which raises money for the Mercy University Hospital, Cork.
Under that agreement, the company will run bingo games for the charity and is entitled to a maximum 40 per cent of the proceeds.
In an affidavit, James Barber, a director of the company, said the business model of the company is recognised in the Department of Finance’s charitable Lotteries Fund Scheme, is lawful and complied with all legal requirements under the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956.
He said Supt Barry, during an appeal of a gaming licence application before Cork Circuit Court on October 17th last, had said gambling leads to an increase in crime, family breakdown and suicide and he intended to oppose all new gaming establishments in his area.
Supt Barry had objected to lottery licence applications for charities which were in negotiations with Omega to enter into agency agreements, Mr Barner said. Those charities were Cork Penny Dinners, Harlequins Hockey Club and St Augustine Global Foundation.
Other charities - St Luke’s Home, the Church of Ireland Hockey Club and Marymount Hospice - withdrew from negotiations with Omega after being contacted by Supt Barry, he added.

deRanged

Show Time wrote: »

What the f**k has it got to do with you?

Any business that would take money from local sports clubs can't be good for the city,

keep it civil please.
I'd rather not have to start handing out bans.

joethelion

I think rock bingo is opening tonight saw a big sign on the motorway €10k jackpot!!!:D

joethelion

Wow what was this fella thinking!

TheCeltictiger

I know the whole local area is very much against this bingo hall on the basis that so many voluntary organizations survive on their Bingo night takings.
This is a 'for profit' organization and the Mercy hospital will take a meager 5% to allow Rock Bingo conform with the licensing constraints.

I hear there is talk of a pickets been put on the place and a campaign to publicize the knock on to local voluntary organizations that already have a very long tradition of bingo nights.

joethelion

Just got a txt from a mate - the place is packed so much for the pickets

Papa_Lazarou

TheCeltictiger wrote: »

I know the whole local area is very much against this bingo hall on the basis that so many voluntary organizations survive on their Bingo night takings.
This is a 'for profit' organization and the Mercy hospital will take a meager 5% to allow Rock Bingo conform with the licensing constraints.

I hear there is talk of a pickets been put on the place and a campaign to publicize the knock on to local voluntary organizations that already have a very long tradition of bingo nights.

Well im living just over the bridge from the building and i haven't heard many people saying anything bad about the place, and those who have are just the GAA heads who want theirs to be the only bingo in the area. Have actually heard more people complain about the way the gardaí dealt with the situation to be honest.I thought i read that the mercy will get up to 40% of the profit?

joethelion

me mate said it was the best night for bingo cork has ever had -and they should know!!!!!!!:eek:the charity gets 10% I heard off the top but they dont have any costs the bingo hall pays all the cost for running ot out of their 40% - I'm going tonight:)

TheCeltictiger

Papa_Lazarou wrote: »

Well im living just over the bridge from the building and i haven't heard many people saying anything bad about the place, and those who have are just the GAA heads who want theirs to be the only bingo in the area. Have actually heard more people complain about the way the gardaí dealt with the situation to be honest.I thought i read that the mercy will get up to 40% of the profit?

I too live over the bridge and would live no more then 200 yards from the place and I can tell you it is far more then GAA heads that have concerns about the place. Simple fact is Rock Bingo are using the Mercy foundation as a flag of convenience for a token 5%. All the popular bingo operations within the city and county are there to support voluntary activity within the community, be that a GAA club in St Finbarrs long established Friday night bingo or Ballyphehanes community Bingo which directly supports the meals on wheels.

Bingo on the scale of the Rock Bingo hall should require a gambling license as is the case for bookmakers rather then the fundraising event license that they are operating under.

The whole thing reeks of profiteering at the cost of voluntary organizations.

You can window dress it what ever way you like, but that is what it is.

People with any social conscience should give this place a skip.

joethelion

sure are'nt charitys allow fundraise at all so or is it just gaa and meals on wheels?

curly from cork

Quote from The Irish Times

Under that agreement, the company will run bingo games for the charity and is entitled to a maximum 40 per cent of the proceeds.

I was there last night and thought it was great. Its nice and comfortable. The staff were all very friendly. Great to see so many jobs and spin off jobs in the place. Lovey food available too I ll be back !

TheCeltictiger

The discussions on 96fm over the last few days put the percentage split at 55% prize money, 40% to the proprietor and 5% to the Mercy foundation.

It is also known that Rock bingo touted several charitable/voluntary organizations to assist with the license.

Corknewshound

Having read around it, I also think this is all window dressing. Sure one or two charities might benefit directly, but what about the rest in the area who are not benefiting, will now lose players, and vital funds as a result?

joethelion

they told me all the locals were approched & the split is 10%;

Stinicker

Bingo's like this should be run only for charity and organised gambling for private profit like this should be totally banned.

Bingos are the backbone of many GAA, Rugby and Community Organisations around the country, people who want to cash in on this for private profit should be stopped and their should be no flag of convenience given to them allowing them to bully in on the fundraisers of community groups.

Bingo appeals primarily to older retired people and I hope they boycott the likes of this.

joethelion

way off the mark on that one.i've looked at the legislation because of all this & charitys are allowed raise funds through bingo - alls that has happened here is that the appointed professionals to run it on their behalf

1lunatic

When is the bingo on again in Rock - Is it cancelled again now ?

curly from cork

THE CORK BINGO hall that was shut down despite a high court order will remain closed until the situation is resolved.
The Rock Bingo premises was shut after a last-minute garda raid last week, during which the gardaí seized the bingo books, operator Dave Barber told TheJournal.ie last week.
A garda spokesperson said that they searched the premises under the Gaming and Lotteries Act and that it was up to the courts to determine if the company had breached any part of the act.
A devastated James Barber, owner of the operation, said today:

This is a crushing blow for everyone here at Rock Bingo, my team, our newly recruited staff, our catering company and of course our customers. Last Thursday when we opened was the first time I was able to relax in months and to be honest it has really taken a big toll on myself and my family.

The company obtained an emergency order in the High Court last week that restrained gardaí from “obstructing or hindering” any lottery on their premises.
The move came after gardaí entered the premises on Tuesday 1 November and seized the books to prevent the operation from opening.
The owners said that the gardaí did not give them notice that they would be searching the premises.
Today, the Rock Bingo owners said that following the decision from the High Court on Saturday, they were told a warrant for seizure was about to be applied for to the District Court, and that such a warrant would be sought every day until the High Court hearing.
That hearing is scheduled for 21 November.
Barber said that the company “have done nothing wrong, we have created 30 jobs, we have charity partners who will benefit from the business and we are providing a safe and secure, alcohol-free environment for Cork people to have a fun and inexpensive night out, but the local Garda authorities seem to be determined to shut down our operation”.

I felt like I had done something terrible as I watched the Gardaí come to our business and take our bingo books away on our planned opening night. In a lifetime of business in Cork this has never happened to me before.

Barber said that the company have operated totally within the law and that they have “invested huge money in modern premises that meets all the required comforts and legislations, and we have secured the charity beneficiary partners in the right manner”.
He even invited local authorities to attend the Friday night of bingo “to see firsthand that we are offering nothing except good clean fun in a safe environment”.
When asked about next steps Barber said he is making a personal plea to the local authorities to come meet with the company again, “inspect our operation and see that we are good, law abiding citizens operating a totally legitimate business”.
The 1,000-seat Rock Bingo venue is located at the old Waters Glass premises in Togher, Cork.
Fans of Rock Bingo took to its Facebook page to express their disappointment, with some calling for a petition against the closure to be set up.

CorkBingo

corner the market drive out competition thats their plan. Who chooses the charity? One of the charities they are using works in Tanzania. Disadvantaged areas like Togher and Ballyphehane sucked dry to make profits and pittance used for charity of their choice.

evilivor

CorkBingo wrote: »

corner the market drive out competition thats their plan. Who chooses the charity? One of the charities they are using works in Tanzania. Disadvantaged areas like Togher and Ballyphehane sucked dry to make profits and pittance used for charity of their choice.

According to a report last week in the Irish Examiner, the Garda who is leading the objections told the local charities he would oppose their getting future Charitable status if they cooperated with the new venture, hence the need to give to other charities.

CorkBingo

Thats a blatant lie and a complete misrepresentation of what was reported.

evilivor

CorkBingo wrote: »

Thats a blatant lie and a complete misrepresentation of what was reported.

Excuse me, as a long time member of Boards who has contributed on a number of topics on various subject on I take exception to that.

You are the member who has only recently joined and almost all of you posts are related to Bingo in Cork - if there is anyone with agenda I suspect it might be you.

Anyway, to my substantive point in my previous post, this is what was reported in the Irish Examiner last week.

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/controversial-bingo-hall-to-open-under-temporary-order-172715.html


Supt Barry objected to lottery licence applications for charities negotiating with Omega, Mr Barber said. Those charities were Cork Penny Dinners, Harlequins Hockey Club and St Augustine Global Foundation.

Other charities — St Luke’s Home, the Church of Ireland Hockey Club and Marymount Hospice — all withdrew from negotiations with Omega after being contacted by Supt Barry, he added.