Regional meetings keep Bacta grounded in the realities members face

by Joseph Cullis, President, Bacta

Last week’s Scottish Regional Meeting at Òran Mór in Glasgow was another really valuable opportunity to spend time with members and hear directly about the issues affecting businesses across Scotland.

As President, one of the things I value most about our regional programme is that it keeps Bacta connected to what is actually happening day-to-day in venues and businesses across the country. It is very easy in any trade association to become overly focused on Westminster, Whitehall and consultations, but these meetings are a reminder that the real impact of policy decisions is ultimately felt on the ground by operators, staff and customers.

The discussions in Glasgow covered a broad range of issues, including 80/20 reform, stake and prize discussions, consultations, player protection measures and the wider economic pressures businesses continue to face. What always stands out to me at these meetings is the openness and honesty of members about both the opportunities and the challenges ahead.

Regional meetings also play an important role in helping us identify issues earlier, spot trends across different parts of the country and ensure that the work Bacta is doing nationally genuinely reflects the experiences of members locally.

We have seen really strong engagement with the regional programme over the last year and I would encourage members to attend our next meeting in the Midlands on 11th June at Joe Joe Jims in Birmingham.

We will also shortly be publishing the full 2026/27 regional meeting calendar, with dates planned across the UK as we continue to strengthen engagement with members at a local level.

Return to the previous page

21 May 2026

See all news...