▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁and , ▁although ▁primarily ▁concerned ▁with ▁operating ▁bet ting ▁pitch es ▁at ▁race c ourses , ▁together ▁with ▁his ▁friend ▁Tom ▁Brad bury - Pr att , ▁he ▁ran ▁speed way ▁meet ings ▁at ▁Harr ing ay ▁and ▁opened ▁a ▁credit ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁End ▁of ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁▁ ▁He ▁had ▁grey h ound ▁racing ▁pitch es ▁at ▁Harr ing ay ▁Stadium ▁and ▁then ▁White ▁City ▁Stadium ▁followed ▁later ▁by ▁Cla pton ▁Stadium ▁and ▁W alth am st ow ▁Stadium ▁before ▁branch ing ▁into ▁bet ting ▁offices . ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁legisl ation ▁and ▁opened ▁his ▁first ▁lic ensed ▁bet ting ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁The ▁new ▁law ▁was ▁not ▁intended ▁to ▁encou rage ▁bet ting ▁and ▁therefore ▁sh ops ▁were ▁un att ract ive ▁in ▁appearance ▁and ▁de void ▁of ▁any ▁comfort s . ▁ ▁Cor al ▁arranged ▁a ▁mer ger ▁with ▁another ▁book maker , ▁Mark ▁Lane ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁the ▁company ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁Cor al ▁Le is ure ▁Group ▁and ▁had ▁divers ified ▁to ▁include ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁other ▁business es , ▁including ▁cas inos , ▁hot els , ▁restaur ants , ▁Pont ins ▁hol iday ▁cam ps , ▁squ ash ▁clubs , ▁b ingo ▁clubs , ▁and ▁real ▁estate . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the