Eloise HorsfieldIT has taken over half a century, but businessman Trevor Dine’s life has finally come round full circle.
The enterprising pensioner, 81, has just opened a casino in San Roque, having worked on Brighton’s Palace Pier for three years as a youth in the late 1940s.
For 12 hours a day, seven days a week it had been his job to keep the machines working and the punters happy.
“It was all mechanical in those days,” explains Trevor, who owns the San Roque Hotel and Casino. “The machines were pre-war and needed constant attention. I loved it though and I earnt good money for a kid.”
Now 65 years later, he has reopened his hotel after a substantial refit and investment in the latest modern gambling machines.
He is triumphant after the long-awaited licence was finally granted and is already bringing in the crowds and adding fresh excitement to the area.
He had decided on the project after the town’s much bigger casino was forced to shut.
“It has been a huge investment, but was definitely worth the wait,” he explained.
Tapas and a drink are free in the casino area but underage players and gambling addicts are strictly forbidden. Furthermore each player is checked against a list of addicts supplied by Cadiz.
Outside the casino area are all the facilities provided by the hotel and restaurant, with its menu offering 50 per cent English and Irish fare.
So if you fancy a bit of a flutter and a bite to eat, why not consider a trip to San Roque Hotel: it might be a risk worth taking.
