The Bookies' Grand Opening

 The famous racehorse Red Rum also had an illustrious career opening new betting shops in the 70s and 80s. What better way for the big chains to draw attention to their  investments - where Red Rum went so did the newspapers. This photo is from the Lancashire Post. 

This trend emerges in "Pollywasher" too, when the Sparkes betting shop chain invites a champion greyhound to open their flagship shop:

So, once Sparkes had found his feet with that back street shop, he decided to give it a go near the markets in a more prominent position if you like. What do they call it? A flagship shop. And one Barbara Toller was going to be the ship’s figurehead, or resident dolly bird. Charlie did the organising and he got her cutting the ribbon to the shop on the day it opened, all dolled up in her finest with the papers there taking photos. Mind you, she wasn’t the star turn, that was a champion greyhound. Barbara was only there because a dog can’t hold a pair of scissors. Reporters were more interested in the mutt, that didn’t half make me laugh when I saw it in the paper the next day. Nice big photo of this greyhound stood next to Barbara’s stockinged legs . I bet she was spitting fire at that, the vain old piece.


"Pollywasher" by Sarah Miller Walters is available on Amazon as a download or print book.

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