Bacta utilized the platform offered by its premier EAG Expo to recognize three industry members who have excelled in their responsibilities. The 2026 Bacta Awards were awarded to Alan Claypole from Blueprint Operations (Supply Chain Champion), Alan Walker from Clacton Pier (Seaside Hero), and James Sturgess from Luxury Leisure (Community Champion).

Elaborating on the Awards initiative, Bacta President Joseph Cullis stated: “Our sector has numerous committed individuals who endlessly exert effort, making significant contributions to both Bacta and the wider community.

“The Bacta Awards honour individuals who have excelled, whether through outstanding community engagement or significant contributions to the industry. They also showcase the standards and values that define Bacta membership, including a commitment to professionalism and to operating in an ethical, sustainable, responsible, and transparent manner.”

“I was delighted that we could utilise EAG, which is the biggest annual concentration of Bacta members to recognise and celebrate the work of Alan Claypole, Alan Walker and James Sturgess – all extremely worthy recipients.

It was a great honour to welcome our Bacta Award Winners and to honour them in front of their peers.”

James Sturgess – Community Champion: James Sturgess, Regional Operations Director at Luxury Leisure which operate Admiral in the UK, has been at the forefront of the company’s partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to install a potentially life-saving defibrillator in every one of their AGC venues. Every year in the UK around 40,000 people suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest, but less than one in ten survive. Immediate CPR and defibrillation can double a person’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest. The partnership between Luxury Leisure and the BHF will mean that life-saving defibrillators are readily available if a customer, or someone in the community suffers a cardiac arrest. Thanks to the generosity of Admiral customers and colleagues the partnership has raised an incredible £500,000 for the British Heart Foundation, providing essential support for thousands of people in communities across the country.

Alan Walker – Seaside Hero: Alan Walker recently celebrated his 80th birthday, and has spent half a century in the amusement industry including more than a decade working at Clacton Pier. Alan is the pier’s head of coin operation services and works with colleagues some of whom are 60 years his junior. Alan spent nine years in the Army before he took up a post as a service engineer at Music Hire Group in his native North East. From there he progressed into management with the firm. He moved on to join the Noble Organisation – both in the North East and Blackpool – before taking up a role running amusements for the resorts division of First Leisure. His next job was with Family Leisure in London, and he has worked with Connaught Leisure, J Holland and Sons before joining Billy and Elliot Ball at Clacton Pier. Alan said that he was very proud to have received the award from Bacta. Reflecting on the award he said: “I was shocked to be honest, but it is nice to be honoured in that way for something you love doing.”

Alan Claypole – Supply Chain Champion: The Blueprint Operations Director of Technical and Product Development has a distinguished history of overseeing the Bacta Standards and leading on Bacta’s engagement with the Gambling Commission on the critical issue relating to the review of Technical Standards. Alan has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the technology that delivers gambling entertainment and shares his knowledge and insight for the betterment of the industry and for Bacta member businesses. Bacta President Joseph Cullis said: “Alan brings the level of expertise that any amount of money simply could not buy. He leads on technical discussions for Bacta and is able to draw on an unbelievable depth of knowledge. It is absolutely essential that manufacturers are aligned and the work undertaken by Alan on behalf of Bacta has a significant impact on both manufacturers and operators.”

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David Lucas, a specialist in gambling, alcohol and entertainment, will chair a power-packed one-hour seminar session on “Working with Licensing Authorities” as part of the expanded EAG Expo, incorporating the Social Immersive Entertainment Expo and the London Casino & Gaming Show.

Lucas – who is a Director of Best Bar None the respected consultancy which provides training to licensing authorities on all aspects of licensing and gambling, has played a pivotal role in shaping modern licensing law. His fingerprints are on both the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005, and his published works remain go-to references for operators and authorities alike.

The session, taking place at midday on Wednesday, January 14, is a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the sector’s foremost authorities. It will be a hands-on, practical panel discussion, chaired by Lucas and joined by three panellists representing Bacta, the broader industry, and a licensing authority – all bringing frontline experience to the table.

Together, they’ll tackle the three big themes every operator needs to master: applications, local risk assessments, and premises inspections.

EAG Chairman Nick Harding said: “There are few subjects more critical to gambling operators than licensing – and no-one better equipped to explain its intricacies than David Lucas. It’s a must-attend for anyone serious about ensuring they remain compliant and competitive.”

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