Machines & gaming: buying your machines

Could buying your own pool tables and amusement machines mean a better return on your investment?

The norm has been for pubs to rent from machine operators, which has proved an extremely viable way of generating machine take with no initial cash outlay. Machines are provided and updated by the company and serviced, all within a weekly rental charge.

But now a web-based company called Liberty Games is offering licensees the alternative of buying.

If your business has a proven trend of income from pool tables, jukeboxes and amusement machines, Liberty argues that taking the plunge and buying your equipment could save you a considerable rental outlay in the long run, especially when you discover just how keenly priced some of the equipment can be.

A fully coin-operated reconditioned slate-bed pool table, for example, can be picked up fully re-clothed from the Liberty website for as little as £495 plus VAT. That's equivalent to 10 weeks of a standard market rent and means you hold an asset that adds value to the business and gives you 100 per cent of the income.

One major concern for the first-time buyer may be the issue of machine servicing. One thing that favours renting is that you are covered should your machine develop a coin jam or more serious fault. For this reason Liberty encourages buyers to set up service agreements with local operators to ensure they have someone to turn to if they have any problems.

The bottom line is that owning your own machines is not for everyone, and there are fair arguments in support of the traditional style of renting. There are, however, a significant number of licensees who are investing in their businesses in this way and reaping the rewards.

For more information on buying your own machines visit www.libertygames.co.uk