Iniative shown at Wetherby.

C

Colin Phillips

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From Tattenham Corner in today's Observer:


"Crossed lines at Wetherby

Following on from the story about courses hiring out private boxes to in-running punters, Wetherby placed a reminder over "Use of laptops" in last Saturday's Charlie Hall Chase racecard. "Private use of laptops is prohibited within all public areas," it warned sternly. "If you are seen using a laptop you may run the risk of having it confiscated." The pay-off came in a paragraph underneath. "Private areas may be available for you to purchase today.""
 
So all a bunch of serious in-runners has to do is to block-book a box for the season. If they're any good at their game, that'll prove to be a cheap way round the ban on the use of laptops - wotta farce.
 
Lingfield Laptops

There are often a couple of blokes with laptops at Lingfield. They used to use the lounge upstairs in the main stand but they now use the Pizzeria bar when it's closed and hide out in there.
 
stodge said:
There are often a couple of blokes with laptops at Lingfield. They used to use the lounge upstairs in the main stand but they now use the Pizzeria bar when it's closed and hide out in there.
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Lingfield is one of the courses that has a box full of laptop players regularly - I mentioned on the Other Sports forum I was surprised to sit 2 seats behind someone doing this very thing at the football a week or so ago!
 
I haven't tried, but with .NET framework installed on a Windows Mobile Smartphone and a strong tailwind, who knows?
 
I struggle to see how Wetherby can lawfully confiscate a laptop . Eject the user and their laptop from the racecourse certainly but not confiscate the computer.
 
If there are signs up saying they'll be confiscated, don't they then have the right to do so, Ardross? What about bringing alcohol into courses? There are signs up on certain racedays at Brighton and Lingfield saying any incoming booze will be confiscated, and it is, by security chaps rifling through picnic hampers.

Stodge, we have a couple of chaps visiting Lingfield from 'the trading floor' with permission from the management, and they use laptops. Perhaps it's those you've seen?
 
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krizon said:
If there are signs up saying they'll be confiscated, don't they then have the right to do so, Ardross? What about bringing alcohol into courses? There are signs up on certain racedays at Brighton and Lingfield saying any incoming booze will be confiscated, and it is, by security chaps rifling through picnic hampers.

Stodge, we have a couple of chaps visiting Lingfield from 'the trading floor' with permission from the management, and they use laptops. Perhaps it's those you've seen?
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Highly questionable to confiscate alcohol even - make it plain that either you leave it behind or don't come in by all means but nobody has the right to confiscate the property of another without statutory authority..

As for suggesting that it is in the contract of entry - a confiscation clause almost certainly would be a " red hand " clause i.e one so onerous that it should be flagged up on entering into the contract not hidden away in small print and then sought to be enforced by notices.
 
I'm not sure that large signs at the entrances saying NO ALCOHOL TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE RACECOURSE is 'hidden away in small print', dearest!
 
We do have a trading floor for in-running traders at Lingfield, and they are allowed to bring in their laptops, I've found out from Lingfield's CotC today. Their position is in the lounge section of the upper atrium, near to the restaurant, should anyone spot them and become disturbed by their finger-tapping presence. All legal, allowable, and above board, which is why you won't see large signs at the course barring them - but they do have to give their names, advise the course in advance, and pay their entrance fee.

If anyone is out of the designated area using one, then someone will have a quiet word...
 
If only cinemas were so restrictive about the use of electronic devices within their boundaries...
 
krizon said:
We do have a trading floor for in-running traders at Lingfield, and they are allowed to bring in their laptops, I've found out from Lingfield's CotC today. Their position is in the lounge section of the upper atrium, near to the restaurant, should anyone spot them and become disturbed by their finger-tapping presence. All legal, allowable, and above board, which is why you won't see large signs at the course barring them - but they do have to give their names, advise the course in advance, and pay their entrance fee.

If anyone is out of the designated area using one, then someone will have a quiet word...
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Not just entrance fee surely? Any idea how much they have to stump up Krizon?
 
krizon said:
We do have a trading floor for in-running traders at Lingfield, and they are allowed to bring in their laptops, I've found out from Lingfield's CotC today. Their position is in the lounge section of the upper atrium, near to the restaurant, should anyone spot them and become disturbed by their finger-tapping presence. All legal, allowable, and above board, which is why you won't see large signs at the course barring them - but they do have to give their names, advise the course in advance, and pay their entrance fee.

If anyone is out of the designated area using one, then someone will have a quiet word...
Click to expand...

Not just entrance fee surely? Any idea how much they have to stump up, Krizon?
 
Surely they should pay the same as the bookmakers? - they're going to be laying bets and haven't paid for a pitch so should arguably pay more (at the min I believe the bookmakers on course pay 5 X the Tatts entry fee to stand).
 
I'll inquire, Steve T - I didn't handle their payment today so don't know what it was/is. They don't have a pitch, they just use a facility provided by the course, indoors, and they don't get given bookies' badges. Yes, bookies pay 5 X the regular fee, but some courses charge them considerably more for Premier meetings. It was 5 x £15 at Lingfield today (NH, so a few quid more than AW), thus £95, regardless of whether they're Tatts or Rails.
 
Irish Stamp said:
Surely they should pay the same as the bookmakers? - they're going to be laying bets and haven't paid for a pitch so should arguably pay more (at the min I believe the bookmakers on course pay 5 X the Tatts entry fee to stand).
Click to expand...

So if they are exclusively backing that wouldn't apply then?
 
It was 5 x £15 at Lingfield today (NH, so a few quid more than AW), thus £95, regardless of whether they're Tatts or Rails.
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No wonder you appreciate your job so much, Kriz. Do your employers know about your little "arrangement"?
 
krizon said:
I'll inquire, Steve T - I didn't handle their payment today so don't know what it was/is. They don't have a pitch, they just use a facility provided by the course, indoors, and they don't get given bookies' badges. Yes, bookies pay 5 X the regular fee, but some courses charge them considerably more for Premier meetings. It was 5 x £15 at Lingfield today (NH, so a few quid more than AW), thus £95, regardless of whether they're Tatts or Rails.
Click to expand...

I've heard sums of £300 quoted, it'll be interesting to see how far away that is.

I heard today of a very rude man working in the office, at Lingfield today, being very unhelpful about the allocation of the local residents tickets. Some organisatiosn seem to be able to turn the most positive of gestures into the worst of publicity - if they don't want to give away such concessions, don't offer them! If he wasn't just a nobody pushing a pencil round the office, I'd be inclined to nominate him for the Arse Cup - in fact, where did Esther Ranzen get to, a prime candidate for a 'Jobsworth'!
 
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