Liverpool high street bookmakers chain David Pluck sees fall in revenues and profits but its namesake founder pockets an almost £3m dividends windfall. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool bookmaker David Pluck is reporting a fall in both revenues and profits but the high street chain is benefiting from the closure of rival outlets.
In its accounts for the 12 months to December 31, 2025, just posted on Companies House, David Pluck saw revenues decline 5.8% to £19.4m and pre-tax profits fell 6.5% to £5.8m.
However, David Pluck himself, who founded the business with a single shop in Widnes in 1980 and remains its owner, pocketed £2.95m in dividends. This adds to the £3.7m he received in the previous year.
There has been a significant decline in high street bookmakers across the UK in the last few years. The number of licensed betting offices has fallen by around 42% to around 5,700. David Pluck has closed no outlets since 2018.
To add to the industry’s woes Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he wants to make it easier for local councils to block high street betting shops. This, in turn, could have a negative impact on British horseracing which is heavily dependent on betting revenues.
However, in the annual report David Pluck said the closure of rival betting shops was driving more footfall to his own outlets. He added that despite the fall in revenues and profits, “the directors are of the opinion that this compares well with the sector of the company trades in”.
“Labour is becoming more expensive and the company has invested in around £1m buying 190 new self service betting terminals which have been well received by clients and staff alike,” he explained.
“They offer customers a lot of the online experience while retaining the atmosphere of a betting environment and these have been a significant help, while the closure of other betting shops has been a good tailwind.”
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During the year the company, which operates 36 high street outlets, employed 132 people. Its net assets have increased from £10.5m to £12.1m.
David Pluck added: “Current uncertainties at both macro and micro economic level are likely to present challenges to high street bookmakers over the short medium term, with our customers facing competition for their discretionary spend.”