A plan to remove restrictions on a casino’s hours so it could potentially open 24 hours a day would harm vulnerable people and increase antisocial behaviour, according to a petition against it.
Around 600 residents have signed the petition urging Croydon Council to reject the proposal for Admiral Gaming Centre on Westow Hill, Crystal Palace. Campaigners say the new licence would “add nothing” to the Crystal Palace Triangle and the wider neighbourhood which has no existing gambling premises operating around the clock.
Luxury Leisure has applied to remove the current licence conditions that restrict its opening hours to 8am–midnight daily. The firm has also requested an amendment to its staffing condition, to specify that “there will be no single staffing after 8pm until 8am the following day, every day” which campaigners say is a sign it intends to open 24 hours a day.
The petition was launched by the Croydon Liberal Democrats.
Councillor Claire Bonham, Liberal Democrat councillor for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, said: “I am pleased that the local community is making its voice heard loudly and clearly on this issue; 24/7 gambling in the Triangle is excessive and not wanted. The social harms of gambling are well known, and we should be looking to protect local communities from this harm.”
Lib Dem campaigner Yusuf Osman added: “24/7 gambling has the potential to aggravate antisocial behaviour in and around the Triangle. It is very clear to me that extending these hours only benefits Admiral’s profit margin and adds nothing to our local town centre.”
Local resident Nigel Dingley questioned whether Croydon Council, the licensing authority, would act. “Residents have told us again and again that extending these hours will hurt local vulnerable people. But will the council listen?” he said.
Opposition has also come from Labour MP for Beckenham and Penge, Liam Conlon, who has launched a separate petition against the proposal. His campaign has been backed by Rowenna Davis, Labour’s candidate for Croydon Mayor.
Mr Conlon said round-the-clock gambling centres are “predatory”, noting that Luxury Leisure, Admiral’s parent company, was fined £1m last month for failing to safeguard vulnerable people. He also warned that once one 24-hour licence is granted, it becomes far harder to resist others.
A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “People living near the premises in Westow Hill can view the application on the council website and make comments in writing to the council. We will listen to these as part of the legal process.”
Credit: Croydon Liberal Democrats
The deadline to submit comments on the licensing application is midnight on Monday, March 2. This can be done via email to li*******@*********ov.uk or by writing to the following address:
London Borough of Croydon, Streets & Environment Department, Licensing Team, 3rd Floor, Zone B, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk, Croydon, CR0 1EA.
Admiral was approached for comment but did not respond.
