Fears about harmful impact of 24-hour gambling a deciding factor against Barnet High Street gaming centre

Planning approval has been refused for opening an adult gaming centre in the former TSB bank building on Barnet High Street.

An application by Merkur Slots to change the use of the ground floor to create a 24-hour gaming centre with machines offering winnings of up to £500 met fierce opposition from residents and community organisations.

Opponents of the scheme have reacted with delight. Robin Bishop, who leads on planning for the Barnet Society, welcomed the decision after all their efforts to mobilise opposition.

A licence to operate bingo machines was approved by a licensing sub-committee in October, but the key decision on whether to allow a change of use to create a gaming centre was delayed for a month.

In refusing permission, Barnet Council says in a decision notice dated 22.11.2022 that a gaming centre would have a detrimental impact on the “vitality and viability” of Barnet town centre.

Opening such premises would have a “harmful effect on the health and wellbeing of residents” and pose a danger to pupils at nearby schools and vulnerable people visiting local foodbanks or at risk from alcohol or substance abuse.

Therefore, a venture of this kind would be contrary to the council’s policy of developing a borough that was “thriving, safe and healthy”.

Merkur Slots, which already operates an adult gaming centre in Ballards Lane, Finchley, has a record of taking council refusals to appeal and there is every possibility it might seek a planning inquiry.

An alternative strategy might be for the company to look for a site elsewhere in Barnet, further away from local schools, given the recommendation that gaming centres should not be allowed within 400 metres of a school.

Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School is within 400 metres as are Barnet and Southgate College, the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School and the new Windmill Special School in Moxon Street.

A total of 833 objections and comments were registered with the council – 773 during the initial consultation process and a further 60 when Merkur Slots replied to criticism of the application with their own health impact assessment.

Among the objectors was the Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers who said she feared a gaming centre would encourage young people to gamble – a danger that was already present given that there were three betting shops with gaming machines on the High Street (Betfred, Labrooks, and Paddy Power).

In its assessment of the application, the council said the site was in a strategically important part of the town centre. A gaming centre was an inward-looking type of use, which did not create an active street frontage.

Council policy was to contribute to making Barnet “a safe, comfortable and inclusive” place to shop and spend leisure time.

Within 1 kilometre of the proposed gaming centre there were clearly identified vulnerable groups, including pupils at two schools within 400 metres, a food bank, patients at Barnet Hospital’s mental health service, and people attending four Alcoholics Anonymous meeting venues.

Evidence showed that the number of “financially vulnerable” people visiting food banks would increase further; that vulnerable groups of young people would pass by the premises; and that there was a high possibility other passers-by would include residents at risk of financial vulnerability or alcohol or substance abuse.

In support of the application Merkur Slots said the former bank building had been vacant for over a year but the council believed that the High Street was likely to provide a wider range facilities and services in the coming years and that there might now be more commercial or retail interest in the premises