A casino manager has spoken about the joys and challenges that comes with her job and her pride of winning a European award.

Emily Stratton, 42, has recently become the general manager of the Grosvenor Casinos site on Bury New Road in Manchester and has spoken about her journey of getting where she is today.

Originally from Southampton, Emily started out in the industry aged just 19 becoming a croupier for Grosvenor after seeing the job advertised in her local paper.

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A few years later she decided to make to move up North and worked in a number of casinos in Leeds, Huddersfield and many parts of Manchester.

Emily said: “I moved to the Bury New Road casino only three weeks ago.

“Previous to that I was general manager at the China Town Soames casino, in Huddersfield and in Stockport.

“I think running any 24-hour business is challenging we’re quite busy so being a general manager you’ll get queries on days off and I just try and support everyone that I can, but we are lucky in Grosvenor that we have a big bank of support around us and being a 24hr business we are geared up for that.”

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Earlier this month, Emily won an award at the European Casino Awards, claiming the "Rising Star" accolade.

Speaking about being nominated, she said: “I was massively surprised, I won general manager of the Year and Venue of the Year last summer, which was really lovely.

“I’d heard of the European Casino Awards but it’s not something we really talked about and it’s not part of our day-to-day role so when they came to me and asked do you mind, I was very flattered.”

As well as Emily taking on the role of general manager, she has managed to juggle raising a family alongside it.

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Speaking about these challenges, she said: “Trying to juggle this job while raising a family has been very challenging.

“Especially when my children were younger, they’re slightly older now but when you’re working night shifts and doing the school run its hard, but it is doable, and Grosvenor are really great at supporting with shift patterns and days off so it means you can work full time and be there for your children.

“It’s myself and my husband so one worked days and the other nights.

“It’s the way you can manage being a full-time mum and working full time, that was the juggle really.”

Emily said that she is looking forward to the future as her time as general manager of the Bury New Road casino with it being the biggest venue she has managed.

The casino has recently undergone a transformation and a big makeover.

Emily added: “Being with the team and the customers is my favourite part of the job.

“Front of house is great and it’s a very social environment, I have a lovely team and all the casinos I’ve ever worked in have all been lovely which makes you want to go to work every day.

“Nice customers and a good team makes work very enjoyable.”