0835 Leisure Summer 08_aw.indd - HLL Humberts Leisure

VAC conferenceThe attractions business is also very reliant on externalconditions. Factors that affect tourism such as the economicsituation, political crises and the weather, impact upon visitornumbers and consequently turnover. One of the biggest issuescurrently affecting the sector is a growing burden of red tapecovering areas such as employment, gaming machines, fire safety,Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and insurance. TheNational minimum wage for workers aged 22+ has risen from£3.60 per hour in 1999 to £5.73 as of the 1st October 2008.A development rate of £4.77 per hour for workers aged 18-21inclusive and £3.53 per hour for all workers under the age of18, who are no longer of compulsory school age will also beapplicable. The introduction of new legislation in the form of theFire Reform Act now places more reliance on parks carrying outtheir own fire risk assessments. Parks are also becoming moreconscious of the need to do CRB checks on their staff.Insurance is another area where costs have shot up in the last5 years - although price increases have softened recently theyvery rarely go down and are still above where they were 5 yearsago. This is an overhead that is increasing on a regular basis,particularly for employee and public liability insurance. Therising cost of energy has also added significant extra overheads tothe average attraction.It seems that many of the factors are pointing to perhapssomewhat of a “rollercoaster” ride over the next few year, so holdon tight! Lets hope for a favourable summer with positive G forcesat work. There is activity in the sector and long may it continue.HLL Humberts Leisure has specialised in the sale and valuationof visitor attraction businesses for more than 25 years. We haveprovided professional and agency advice to a substantial number ofoperators and are regarded in the industry as the market leaders.ContactNigel Talbot-Ponsonby FRICS, Londone: ntp@humberts-leisure.com t: +44 (0)20 7629 6700Richard Baldwin BSc(Hons) MRICS, Skiptone: richard.baldwin@humberts-leisure.com t: +44 (0)1756 799 271Visitor AttractionConference 2008This year, for the fifth time in succession, since its inception, HLLHumberts Leisure will once again be sponsoring the prestigiousVAC Conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre inWestminster, London in October 2008.The Annual National Conference of Visitor Attractions is theindustry’s leading event and will be attended by major tourism andvisitor attraction operators from across the UK, along with manyvisitors from overseas representing visitor attractions ofinternational importance.HLL Humberts Leisure is proud of its continuous association withVAC and will be fully represented at the Conference by delegatestaff and a stand at the exhibition, where HLL Humberts Leisure’srecent successful sales and professional activity in the sector will beon display.ContactNigel Talbot-Ponsonby FRICS, Londone: ntp@humberts-leisure.com t: +44 (0)20 7629 6700Richard Baldwin BSc(Hons) MRICS, Skiptone: richard.baldwin@humberts-leisure.com t: +44 (0)1756 799 271www.humberts-leisure.comHLL Humberts Leisure 31