Decision on 24 hour town centre gambling shop
Despite more than 20 objections a licence has been granted allowing a Cheltenham town centre adult gaming business to stay open 24 hours a day.
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Plans for a 24 hour town centre gambling shop have been approved despite concerns Cheltenham is being compared to Ipswich.
More than 20 objections were lodged against Luxury Leisure’s plans to vary the conditions for 218 High Street.
And the proposals for the former Shoezone shop were considered by Cheltenham Borough Council’s planning committee on October 16.
Initial plans for the site were turned down by planners in 2023 but this was overturned at appeal.
The permission granted allowed the shop to open from 9am to midnight Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 10pm on Sundays.
But the latest proposals to open every hour of the day and all week long sparked concerns over public safety, noise and disturbance.
Objectors were also concerned about the impact it would have on vulnerable residents and the character of the town centre.
And one councillor took issue with how the applicant’s compared England’s most complete Regency town to Ipswich in Suffolk.
A Luxury Leisure representative spoke in favour of the plans and said they were the leading market operator of adult gaming centres in the UK with 200 premises.
He said the vast majority of these are in defined retail locations and he referenced a centre in Ipswich.
“The principle of adult gaming centre use is already established,” he said.
“There are two adult gaming centre uses that already operate 24 hours a day in the immediate vicinity as well as other late night uses.”
He said the hours were restricted at appeal because a noise assessment had not been completed at the time.
“The inspector copied hours of use permitted at an Admiral site in Ipswich
“Since then, noise conditions have been discharged and the Ipswich site has also been granted 24 hour consent with Suffolk Constabulary confirming that there is no crime or antisocial behaviour associated with any adult gaming centre in Ipswich town centre.”
He said the gambling shop has been operating without issue in the spa town since 2 December and extra security was deployed on the door during Cheltenham Festival.
Alcohol consumption is banned at their venues and people under the influence are not allowed to enter.
During the debate, Councillor Barbara Clark (LD, All Saints) said supporting such a venue “went against her gut feeling that Cheltenham is a gem”.
“With all due respect, your defence is decorated like a Christmas tree,” she said.
“You can’t compare Cheltenham to Ipswich. I’ve been to Ipswich, I didn’t go back.
“We have a beautiful town, our biggest economy in the centre of town is culture.
“This is not culture.
“I can’t support it, it’s not Cheltenham, it’s Ipswich.”
Councillor Frank Allen (LD, Swindon Village) said there was a stronger case to make about the impact it would have on the viability of the town centre.
“I don’t think it’s real to say people are going to go to these establishments at midnight or 1am for social occasions,” he said.
“They are going so the company can profit more from people’s gambling addictions,” he said.
“Ultimately it’s a profiteering thing to extend these hours.
“The problem is with gambling shops they don’t add to the economic vitality of a town. They take away from it.
“They suck in money, they sap in business from the town centre. We are actually depleting our town centre of more business by giving such a shop larger opening hours.”
Councillor Simon Wheeler (LD, Hesters Way) said he had great sympathy with Cllr Allen’s point.
He said there would be a way forward from a licensing point of view if there are many noise complaints.
But he felt nothing could be done with regards to planning due the legal advice the committee was given.
Officers felt the proposals would not result in any public safety concerns nor have a harmful impact on the High Street and recommended approval.
And the committee voted to approve the plans by four votes in favour to two against with three abstentions.
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com