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Who remembers where all the old betting shops in the three towns were? I can remember Mitchell of Saltcoats in Chapelwell Street. It was where the Alliance and Leicester Building Society now is, but I think you had to go through a close to get to it. There was also Nellany's accross from the Victoria Bar. The most unique one I recall though was Willie Edgars that was located behind the Garage in Dalry Road, near the Wheatley Road Shops. My Dad used to go there and I sometimes walked up with him. There was an old coal burning stove right in the middle with a chimney going right out the roof. I don't know much about old betting shops in Ardrossan and Stevenston, but I do remember there was one at the shops up the Hayocks in the 1980's.

Hi Mitchy,When betting was made legal in 1961 there were 6 betting shops in the town.Davison's and Ben Kelly's in Canal St. Matt Taylor's at the foot of Raise St. Tally Fitzpatrick was down the back lane at the shore. Bobby lennox was at Kyleshill,and Willie Edgar was up at Dalry Rd _ Wheatly Rd. Of the 6 of them, 3 of them lifted for Nellany and 3 for Mitchel. Davison,Tally and Matt Taylor were Nellany men the others lifted for Mitchell.Just before it was legal Ben Kelly had a shop at the back of Mary Burns's in Raise St, and Matt Taylor had one half way up Raise St,the old Victoria Chip Shop( I think it belonged to Goivanetti) I can remember Bobby Lennox being in 3 shops ,Kyleshill, Quays St and Chaplewell St .In them days Nellany was First Past the post ,and Mitchell was Official Result.Do you remember Wee Pelly Hamilton marking the board for Davison ?It was before the days of the TV screens,and all the horses had to be written on the board, Pelly's writting was perfect,it was actually copperplate, you've brought back a lot of memories,Regards Sam.

the betting shops i was in regular were wullie edgars behind the garage in dalry road(the building is still there by the way) and matt taylors at the bottom of raise street,wullie stayed in links road and matt in the mayfield,the guy who marked the horses on the blackboard in wullies shop was a guy called tommy burns (ex ardrossan shipyard worker) his writing was also perfect,and always on straight lines,the first i suppose change was when they brought out all the hosres on printed paper they were held up on the board by use of a magnet,there was still of course the need for a marker,the shops in them days opened around midday and closed about five,the next change i think was a chap with a shop in ardrossan applied to open early in the morning (i think it was 8am in the morning),his reason being he wanted to cater for people coming off the night shift,im sure his shop was in princes street next to the lyric.
James Barr (brvhrtjimmy)

Hi Mitchy

If you look up somewhere in 'Saltcoats on the 50's'
you will be able to read more about Matt Taylor and his bonnet and his betting corners/shops (both illegal and legal in Raise St. and Factory Place(Factory Lane I can't rememember if it was a place or a lane!)

Tony

wellparkno9 wrote:Hi Mitchy,When betting was made legal in 1961 there were 6 betting shops in the town.Davison's and Ben Kelly's in Canal St. Matt Taylor's at the foot of Raise St. Tally Fitzpatrick was down the back lane at the shore. Bobby lennox was at Kyleshill,and Willie Edgar was up at Dalry Rd _ Wheatly Rd. Of the 6 of them, 3 of them lifted for Nellany and 3 for Mitchel. Davison,Tally and Matt Taylor were Nellany men the others lifted for Mitchell.Just before it was legal Ben Kelly had a shop at the back of Mary Burns's in Raise St, and Matt Taylor had one half way up Raise St,the old Victoria Chip Shop( I think it belonged to Goivanetti) I can remember Bobby Lennox being in 3 shops ,Kyleshill, Quays St and Chaplewell St .In them days Nellany was First Past the post ,and Mitchell was Official Result.Do you remember Wee Pelly Hamilton marking the board for Davison ?It was before the days of the TV screens,and all the horses had to be written on the board, Pelly's writting was perfect,it was actually copperplate, you've brought back a lot of memories,Regards Sam.

Hi Sam,

Was the Ben Kelly you mention related to the Ardrossan bookie Mick Kelly? Was the one you mention down the shore in behind the Saracens Head hotel?

Regards,

Mitchy

Hi Mitchy,The bookies at the top of Glasgow St was originally owned by Robert Ried,who went on to own "Potters".His daughter now has Potters,Cross keys and The Pop.
Robert was brought up in Rowanside and his mum (Ella),had a sweetie shop in Princes St where "Schnipps" now is.

Hi Mitchy, no Ben Kelly was not related to Micky Kelly ,and Tally Fitzpatrick was behind the Saracen.Regards , Sam

Rowanside wrote:Hi Mitchy,The bookies at the top of Glasgow St was originally owned by Robert Ried,who went on to own "Potters".His daughter now has Potters,Cross keys and The Pop.
Robert was brought up in Rowanside and his mum (Ella),had a sweetie shop in Princes St where "Schnipps" now is.

Alan,

Was that bookies not Mick Kelly's first shop when betting was legalised? It's been there for as long as I remember.

PS I'm reliably informed Mick Kelly was the first working class man in Ardrossan to own a car.

Michy

You are right - Robert had his bookies shop in Princes Street - along from Eugene's. Always a great place to have a bookies with so many pubs there - Ladbrokes was still there the last time I was in the town. Interesting you talking about bookies, I remember my dad telling me about his mother (my grandmother, your great grandmother) who used to have a bookie in Saltcoats just after the first world war long before it was legal - she knew a lot about horses seemingly and the bookie used to have to stump up regularly. I seem to remember my dad putting a nom de plume on his bookies slips when I was a kid - anyone else remember doing this?

Meg

Meg Gordon wrote:Michy

You are right - Robert had his bookies shop in Princes Street - along from Eugene's. Always a great place to have a bookies with so many pubs there - Ladbrokes was still there the last time I was in the town. Interesting you talking about bookies, I remember my dad telling me about his mother (my grandmother, your great grandmother) who used to have a bookie in Saltcoats just after the first world war long before it was legal - she knew a lot about horses seemingly and the bookie used to have to stump up regularly. I seem to remember my dad putting a nom de plume on his bookies slips when I was a kid - anyone else remember doing this?

Meg

Hi Meg,

Wish I'd read this earlier because I was at my parents tonight and I could have asked my mother if she knew anything about her grandmother and the bookies.

There are still three bookies in Ardrossan. There is the Ladbrokes you mention in Princes Street, William Hills at the bottom of Glasgow Street, and Scotbet.com at the top of Glasgow Street. Scotbet is located in the bookies formerly owned by Robert Reid.

Mitchy

Hi I ut my fiest line on in Stevenston 1972. The bookies was aroubnd Miskknowes and was next to a club . My gran lived obver the back at Trelawney Terrace. When I was last along there its akll demolished. Anyone know what i was and when it was demolised? M

Hi all. Bringing this thread back because I am trying to work out who owned the bookies at the Hayocks shops in Stevenston, and what shop it was located in. I think it was there within the last 20 years Also, was there ever one at Ashgrove Road shops in Ardrossan (also within last 20 years) or is my memory playing tricks on me?