Duncan Savage Managing Director Rainbow Casino chats to Rebecca Green
Rainbow Casino Cardiff’s re-opening launch night was a true success! A superb night was had by all who attended to see the impressive new destination, which is taking leisure entertainment and traditional casino offerings to new heights. Prior to the commencement of festivities Duncan Savage, Managing Director Rainbow Casinos, sat down with Rebecca Green, Correspondent Casino Life, to discuss Cardiff’s impressive entertainment venue.
(L-R) Richard Phillips (Rainbow Casino Cardiff general manager), Sam Warburton, Duncan Savage (Rainbow Casino managing director)
Rainbow Casino Cardiff’s re-opening launch night was a major success!
A superb night was had by all who attended to see the impressive new destination, which is taking leisure entertainment and traditional casino offerings to new heights. Although I am from Kent I must confess to being a fan of Cardiff. I have been to the city a lot over recent years and now have a new exciting destination for a great night out! Yes, indeed since we took over the Cardiff Casino I have been able to explore Cardiff and have found many great places to eat and have a drink.
I have always been given a very friendly welcome and I am pleased to be able to offer another fantastic venue in the city centre and enhance the night out experience. With investment on the scale of £3 million, that must also have a positive effect on employment.
How many new jobs have been created with this level of investment in the City of Cardiff?
We have created an additional 40 jobs in both F & B and gaming, taking our total FTE numbers to 150 in our Cardiff casino.
Ease of access is an important factor what are your expectations from the brand new entrance and a second entrance on Tredegar Street?
The old entrance was tucked away at the far end of Mary Ann Sreet with no reason to pass unless you were going to casino. Our new entrance in Mary Ann Street is more than double
the size and will give us a much higher profile on the street. The Admiral building opposite employs some 3000 people and the Motor Point attracts huge amounts of people to the shows etc which are staged there. I am quite sure that a lot of them do not even know we exist. By creating a much more attractive entrance we are hopeful of attracting a new audience. The entrance on Tredegar Street was originally created as a temporary entrance; however, this is the main link between the two parts of the city centre and has a lot of footfall so it made sense to keep it.
Having £20,000 jackpot slot machines provides an additional edge to the winning potential for those that like to try their luck on the slots! We have seen a significant growth in slots play and is an area of casino gaming that has huge potential in the future, however to see a continued growth we will have to see changes either in legislation or under a triennial review which would allow a levelling of the playing field at least between the small licences and the converted ’68 licences. This would allow us to have up to 80 slot machines and give us the option to offer a far greater product mix to our customers.
Although smoking is according to statistics on the decline what are the facilities for those that like to smoke. We have built a very comfortable new smoking terrace which will offer both electronic roulette and slot machines. With some very clever heating it will be just as warm outside as it is inside making the terrace functionable all year round.
Is the Casino open 24 hours and if so can one get a drink late at night and a bite to eat?
The casino is open 24 hours The bar is open until 4am and food will be available at all times.
Have you a main theme for this Casino’s refurbishment and if so what have been amongst the main influences on the choices with lighting, furnishings, carpets, and bar?
The design is loosely based on a volcanic eruption! Lighting is designed to represent lava flow with lots of straight lines and angles. The end product has given rise to a modern yet contemporary feel and should stand the test of time. We have included welsh slate and copper in the finishes as a tribute to Welsh heritage and to give it a local feel.
Does the design match those of the other Rainbow Casinos?
The carpets are same throughout all our casinos but each casino is designed (or will be designed) individually with the local area in mind.
Which aspects of this refurb have been most challenging and which have turned out beyond expectation?
As with all projects of this size, deadlines and budgets are often the most challenging but fortunately we have come in on target for both.
A Leisure Entertainment theme is now a big factor in the success of Casinos. What are the facilities for live acts, and do you provide a varied line up of performers or will you plan to have regular resident bands and singers?
We now have the facilities to provide all kinds of entertainment alongside the traditional casino offerings. It will be a case of suck it and see what works.
Location, Location, Location. How easy is Rainbow Cardiff to get to by road, rail and air?
Cardiff is very much on the map as a must visit city and is very easy to get to. There is plenty of parking and the rail network is very good. There are many attractions in the city including fantastic sporting venues which do bring many visitors to the area; and we will of course be covering all the major sporting events in the casino on our big screen in the bar area.
With Rainbow Casinos located around the UK will there be a link up with them to provide patrons the opportunity to visit other Casinos such as Birmingham?Yes there is link between all our casinos, if you are a member at one you are a member of all and we do have inter-casino events where regulars at one casino have organized trips to our other venues. We will of course be taking customers from our other casinos to Cardiff on opening night. A reputable restaurant is also a significant factor in attracting patrons.
Can you provide any details about the refurbishment as regards the restaurant facilities?
A new restaurant has been created with new menus for both dining, snacks and party packages which should appeal to a very wide audience. Whist, the new restaurant, is relatively small but we do have the facility to create a much bigger space for party bookings etc.
