By the bookie: council declares victory over betting shops

Paddy Power betting shop on Amhurst Road. Photograph: Ewan Munro (Creative Commons)

Against all odds Hackney Council has declared “victory” in its hard-fought campaign for the stricter regulation of betting shops.

The council successfully lobbied the government to hand local authorities more power enabling them to curb the “blight of bookies” on the borough’s high streets.

The changes, which came in to effect in April but were only announced by the council this week, mean bookmakers will be forced to seek planning permission before opening.

Previously betting shops were in planning class A2, meaning gambling firms could take over a range of businesses without planning permission.

The council said this led to a “proliferation of betting shops across Hackney” with 58 bookies across the borough and eight in Mare Street alone.

Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe said the changes were “a real victory for Hackney and local government as a whole”.

He said: “Our campaigning has never been about banning betting shops, and these changes don’t mean we can now close down existing betting shops.

“However, they do mean we have a say on future proposals to turn yet another shop, bank or pub into a bookies, and decisions can be based on what best suits our high streets and communities, rather than the profits of gambling firms.”

Peter Craske, a spokesman for the Association of British Bookmakers said: “The changes to planning regulations were announced and came into effect some six months ago.

“The increased planning control that local authorities now have over new betting shop licences and re-sites, adds to their already significant powers to reject and review licences under gambling legislation so betting shops are now the most regulated industry on the high street.

“The betting shops in Hackney employ almost 300 people so we are a major employer across the Borough and we are always happy to meet with the council to discuss any issues together.”