Bad News-DTD to close?

[GreekStein]

No idea about all the taxation laws etc, but couldn't they charge an annual membership or something - 20k members paying £25 a year must help the situation... cant imagine anyone would object to this either?

20k members won't pay £25 a year membership for a club most of them might get to visit a handful of times a year

I agree with this. I would personally be more than happy to pay for this myself even though I only manage 4 or 5 visits but I don't this is feasable for the club and it would discourage those from further out from making the visit.

How about an entry payment?

[EvilPie]

No idea about all the taxation laws etc, but couldn't they charge an annual membership or something - 20k members paying £25 a year must help the situation... cant imagine anyone would object to this either?

20k members won't pay £25 a year membership for a club most of them might get to visit a handful of times a year

£25 per year or £5 per visit for non members.

Simple.

[Dingdell]

No idea about all the taxation laws etc, but couldn't they charge an annual membership or something - 20k members paying £25 a year must help the situation... cant imagine anyone would object to this either?

20k members won't pay £25 a year membership for a club most of them might get to visit a handful of times a year

Howabout £25 pre year of £5 per visit if you prefer not to pay for a year?
If you go to Ronnie Scotts in London it's a one off entry fee or an annual rate and its surprising how many people pay for the year 'just in case' they come back.

Beat me to it! Well thats 2 people who agree!

[Bongo]

It seems the biggest problem is the new tax laws.

We could start a little campaign about it?

An online petition on the number 10 website, a few letters written to MPs (free online, http://www.writetothem.com/), and local newspapers (new tax costs jobs).

I doubt it would have much chance of success, but it's better than nothing.

[boldie]

It seems the biggest problem is the new tax laws.

We could start a little campaign about it?

An online petition on the number 10 website, a few letters written to MPs (free online, http://www.writetothem.com/), and local newspapers (new tax costs jobs).

I doubt it would have much chance of success, but it's better than nothing.

This. It's all well and good charging an entry fee and all that (which I'd obv happily pay) but that doesn't solve the problem of an extornionate tax. No business can be viable if subjected to a tax like this..and that's where the problem lies.

[EvilPie]

No idea about all the taxation laws etc, but couldn't they charge an annual membership or something - 20k members paying £25 a year must help the situation... cant imagine anyone would object to this either?

20k members won't pay £25 a year membership for a club most of them might get to visit a handful of times a year

Howabout £25 pre year of £5 per visit if you prefer not to pay for a year?
If you go to Ronnie Scotts in London it's a one off entry fee or an annual rate and its surprising how many people pay for the year 'just in case' they come back.

Beat me to it! Well thats 2 people who agree!

Nice idea Tracey.

This would of course completely destroy the £10 + £3 beginners comps.

It's not a problem if you're playing the bigger buy in stuff but for the lower end it would be prohibitively expensive.

[Colchester Kev]

It seems the biggest problem is the new tax laws.

We could start a little campaign about it?

An online petition on the number 10 website, a few letters written to MPs (free online, http://www.writetothem.com/), and local newspapers (new tax costs jobs).

I doubt it would have much chance of success, but it's better than nothing.

Anything is worth a try in this economic climate.... Anything that is seen as the government forcing businesses to close at this time would be damning for them.

[Longines]

You would be lucky to get 1000 paying a membership fee and at £25 a pop, it would cover less than 10% of the VAT shortfall.

Tell the tax man they're jaffa cakes not poker chips - job sorted  

[EvilPie]

It seems the biggest problem is the new tax laws.

We could start a little campaign about it?

An online petition on the number 10 website, a few letters written to MPs (free online, http://www.writetothem.com/), and local newspapers (new tax costs jobs).

I doubt it would have much chance of success, but it's better than nothing.

Anything is worth a try in this economic climate.... Anything that is seen as the government forcing businesses to close at this time would be damning for them.

Particularly if as someone has already stated we highlight the fact that DTD is only having these problems because it's a legal poker club.

If it was illegal like most of the others there wouldn't be an issue.

[tikay]

It seems the biggest problem is the new tax laws.

We could start a little campaign about it?

An online petition on the number 10 website, a few letters written to MPs (free online, http://www.writetothem.com/), and local newspapers (new tax costs jobs).

I doubt it would have much chance of success, but it's better than nothing.

Anything is worth a try in this economic climate.... Anything that is seen as the government forcing businesses to close at this time would be damning for them.

Particularly if as someone has already stated we highlight the fact that DTD is only having these problems because it's a legal poker club.

If it was illegal like most of the others there wouldn't be an issue.

This.

[EvilPie]

Presumably the reg fee to tournaments is the bit that's taxed.

How about offering free registration to the £300 deepstack when you purchase a bottle of mineral water.

There's no law against charging £30 for a bottle of water is there? As far as I know it's not subject to the poker tax either.

Just a thought.

[I KNOW IT]

Presumably the reg fee to tournaments is the bit that's taxed.

How about offering free registration to the £300 deepstack when you purchase a bottle of mineral water.

There's no law against charging £30 for a bottle of water is there? As far as I know it's not subject to the poker tax either.

Just a thought.

Rob stated in his radio interview that he wouldnt do anything which would appear to be dodging the tax as he has other buisness interests to consider

[kinboshi]

Presumably the reg fee to tournaments is the bit that's taxed.

How about offering free registration to the £300 deepstack when you purchase a bottle of mineral water.

There's no law against charging £30 for a bottle of water is there? As far as I know it's not subject to the poker tax either.

Just a thought.

The rake from the cash games would still be an issue, unless a table fee was introduced.  I'm sure Rob's looked at the options.

The £25 a year membership fee, or £5 a visit for non-members sounds fine.  I can't imagine many being upset. 

[EvilPie]

Presumably the reg fee to tournaments is the bit that's taxed.

How about offering free registration to the £300 deepstack when you purchase a bottle of mineral water.

There's no law against charging £30 for a bottle of water is there? As far as I know it's not subject to the poker tax either.

Just a thought.

Rob stated in his radio interview that he wouldnt do anything which would appear to be dodging the tax as he has other buisness interests to consider

Darn him and his law abiding ways!!!

[boldie]

Presumably the reg fee to tournaments is the bit that's taxed.

How about offering free registration to the £300 deepstack when you purchase a bottle of mineral water.

There's no law against charging £30 for a bottle of water is there? As far as I know it's not subject to the poker tax either.

Just a thought.

The rake from the cash games would still be an issue, unless a table fee was introduced.  I'm sure Rob's looked at the options.

The £25 a year membership fee, or £5 a visit for non-members sounds fine.  I can't imagine many being upset. 

Maybe not but it doesn't solve anything really. Rob was talking about 800-900k being lost because of this law. (top of my head nrs) a £25 member ship fee might make him 100k (and I'm being very generous here IMO) but that still leaves a 700k gap.