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STRICTLY UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 00:01 TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER

SATURDAY NIGHT FRIGHT
Millions of social lives ruined by “Hobby Horror”

From salsa to speed dating, casinos to kung-fu, modern Britons are desperate to diversify in their spare time but two thirds are too terrified to try different hobbies or new nights out.

According to Gala Casinos’ study of 3,090 Brits, three quarters of them are unhappy that their social life is stuck in a rut. Conversely however, just one in five will venture as far as the local pub while half simply stay in to watch TV rather than brave anything new.

The Hobby Horror Top 10:
The 10 pastimes Brits want to try but are too afraid…
1. Salsa or ballroom dancing
2. Pole or burlesque dancing
3. Yoga or Pilates
4. Gym
5. Street dancing
6. Martial arts
7. Speed-dating
8. Roller-disco
9. Boxing
10. Casino games

According to the study, this anxiety all stems from a fear of looking silly, turning up in the wrong outfit or just not having the necessary skills. Women are by far the worst afflicted: 23% more ladies admit to feeling Hobby Horror than their male counterparts.

Following these findings, Gala Casinos has introduced the UK’s first ever casino-on-wheels, the Casino Magic Bus. Designed to bring free casino games to the public, this cutting edge vehicle, with its tables, roulette wheel and the finest croupiers, promises to reduce Hobby Horror across the nation.

Gala Casinos' spokesperson Andy Goram said: “For a country that prides itself on having a good time, the results of the study are shocking. We all want to try new things but fret because some hobbies appear intimidating. Sampling these pastimes is key to losing that fear. People can sometimes have the same misconceptions about casinos but as our millions of customers will testify, there is nothing to be scared of. There are no Bond villains, no complicated games and no pretensions.”

The study also revealed that 16-24 year olds worry more than anybody about straying outside their safe social norms: 55+ year olds meanwhile are by far the most audacious when it comes to trying their hand at new hobbies: almost half wouldn’t hesitate trying out roller-disco, burlesque dance shows or even pole dancing.

“Obviously this is a time when people don’t want to be too extravagant with their spending, which really showed in our research. However, our brand new bus is completely free and our casinos are not all about high rollers. Instead, we make it our mission to offer an easygoing, good value night out for everybody. ”

ENDS

Notes to editors
The Hobby Horrors research was carried out by Opinion Matters with a sample size of 3,090 UK adults between 12th and 25th September 2008.

The Gala Casino Magic tour bus will visit 19 towns and cities across Britain between October 2008 – March 2009. Full details of the tour route and supporting competition can be found at www.casinomagicbus.com
Casino Magic is an all-new, fun way to learn how to play the world’s most popular casino games.
 
Media Enquiries
For more information, pictures or to book an exclusive bus session for media only, please contact Nina Eastman or any of the Gala Casinos team on nina.eastman@bluerubicon.com or lyndon.adade@bluerubicon.com or call us on 020 7260 2700

About The Gala Coral Group
The Gala Coral Group is Europe's pre-eminent betting and gaming company and one of Britain’s largest private companies, with over 1,800 retail trading outlets in the UK. Gala Coral is the first company to receive full GamCare accreditation across its four UK divisions – Coral, Gala Bingo, Gala Casino and E Commerce.
The Gala Coral Group employs over 19,000 people across all of the Group’s five divisions – Coral, Gala Bingo, Gala Casino, E Commerce, and International.

Have fun and please play responsibly. www.Gambleaware.co.uk


Contact Name: Nina Eastman
Company: Blue Rubicon
Contact Email: click to reveal e-mail
Contact Phone: 020 7260 2700

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