The long Good Friday

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The only consolation for traditionalists is that the British Horseracing Authority will also not include fixtures for the 2009 calendar at a time when it is paramount that the current 1,504 meetings a year should be reduced.

Betting firms: business as usual

Betting shop staff are currently being canvassed about whether they wish to work on Good Friday, March 21. One Hills employee said: 'No way is my shop opening this year — but it may not be voluntary next year!'

SIS have arranged to screen four greyhound meetings on Good Friday from Hall Green, Walthamstow, Swindon and Monmore, while there will be horseracing from Deauville (France), Fairview (South Africa) and Bremen (Germany).

Opening on a national holiday such as Good Friday became legal as the result of the recent Gambling Act passed last autumn.

But BHA spokesman Will Lambe said: 'There is no real desire or prospect for fixtures on Good Friday. There is a strong public relations element which we do not wish to harm.'

The Gambling Act makes it clear that Christmas Day is now the only occasion on which it is illegal to open betting shops.

Ladbrokes are still considering the Good Friday issue, while Coral will open about half their 1,600 shops. Yet the big three firms bar Ladbrokes have already ruled out opening for trade in religiously sensitive Northern Ireland.

Coral spokesman Simon Clare said: 'If staff have religious objections they will be honoured — those who work will get a day in lieu.'