Jimmy Godden - 007

[bosola]

I recall seeing a comedian a while ago who commented how dangerous it would be to have James Bond round for dinner, as every building he enters has a habit of exploding just after he leaves. I thought immediately of Mr Godden at the time......

I met the man a couple of times although only as a humble employee, as a student I worked the summer as a floorwalker in the Ramsgate arcade - not the tiddly new one but the great big one that - errrr - burned down . I heard at the time that it looked to be a professional job, and there was much musing over why anyone would target what was by then an empty shell. To be fair on godden it has to be said there has never been a shred of evidence linking him to this fire or any other (as far as I know), but that didn't stop the local wags declaring the event to have been an 'act of god....den'

Being a floorwalker in one of his arcades meant a 12 hour day, 10 until 10, although it was made clear to me by one of the managers that I would be expected to stay on (unpaid of course) until the arcade actually shut which could be any time up to midnight. Pay was 2.25 an hour, which even in the late 90's was p*ss poor. I recall that another worker there who was a bit 'slow' (if that's the right term these days) earned even less. I asked the arcade manager about this pay anomolie once, and was told 'he's lucky to have a job, who else would employ him'

I remember the court case against some floorwalkers who had, before my time, been caught stealing. The local rag had a field day once the working conditions were mentioned, sparking a letter to the paper saying that perhaps godden should have been in the dock. We put the paper up on the wall in the canteen (a room the size of a toilet with a table and some chairs), but the security guy made us take it down before godden saw it and sacked us.

Other happy memories include finding a stache of used needles in the toilets, and 'swagging' up the penny pushers and cranes with assorted worthless tat. You may know that cranes have a setting on them which dictates how hard the cranes mechanism will grip (perfectly legal - allows you to cater for different size toys), I once mistakenly filled a crane set for big toys up with small penguins, in no time there were people walking off with handfuls

Also chaperoning the soft play area was a favourite - I used to coat the big slide with anti static spray and watch as hysterically laughing kids shot off the end like scud missiles.......

The pay and the hours were cr*p, and I wouldn't do it again - not even for 2.50 - but i have to say it was kinda fun dealing with the people... even the hordes of young scallywags who would spend 5 minutes losing their entire weeks pocket money then hang around for hours ('look, if they're not spending throw them out....'). I wonder how much of goddens money overall comes from young children playing fruit machines


As a sign off here's my favourite quote, direct from the arcade manager -
'Put a hole in a wall and people will put money into it'

[porterm]

Hello bosola,

Yes, I think I also recall that joke about 007. I don't really know what really happened at the former Ramsgate arcade, but believe I had just visited weeks before the big inferno in summer 1996. I think that was my first and only visit inside the arcade building, and remember the childrens play area with the big slide.

I'm probably a bit older than yourself, but can certainly sympathsise with the low wages offered by such establishments. When I was still at school I remember once working for a very short time in the bingo facility at Dymchurch's small amusement park. It must have been around 1977 when we still had those wretched little half penny piece coins. I remember having to contend with counting them up as quickly as possible when punters handed a pile over to me for change. I'm convinced this contributed to my very short appointment there! - damn public. (I believe I was paid about 50p per hour at that time)

I was interested in your comment re the toy crane machines; I wasn't aware of the different settings feature - I just assumed machines were custom-built for different functions. You're probably spot on with the hole in the wall comment though; just look how many coins are throw down wishing wells and into water features in parks.

An older work colleague told me last year that the former Ramsgate arcade used to be called Merrie England. I remember back in the late 70's/ early 80's when Ramsgate also had a fair number of rides below the high cliff wall, with large illuminated clown heads (and plastic tall soldier figures, I believe) fixed along those walls. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the rides were gradually whittled down within a few years after Jimmy Godden took over the site. I know they weren't that great by today's standards but they were probably a welcome attraction for family visitors and the like.

Once again, some fascinating comments from a real "insider". I do hope you have joined our Campaign to save Dreamland and the Scenic Railway.

Martin

PS I must say that I'd never envy anyone who has to work in an amusement arcade, having to endure that awful din of today's seemingly noisier fruit machines and video game machines. However, when I was a kid I could've probably spent all day in such places (I remember many happy hours at Littlehampton and various Butlin's locations)