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From left, Archway town centre manager Anna Woodward, objectors Cathy O’Brien and Jan Tucker, and Cllr Janet Burgess |
Revealed: Politicians who backed licence for 40 slot machines
Gaming centre wins approval in face of protests
COUNCILLORS broke a secrecy rule this week to reveal how they voted over a decision to give a licence to a proposed 40-machine gambling centre in Archway.
Decisions by Islington’s licensing committees are always reached in private but this was an issue of such controversy that objectors demanded to know how members voted.
Two Lib Dem councillors, Lorna Willoughby and Jyoti Vaja, who both live outside the area, voted for the application. Labour councillor Barry Edwards, who represents nearby Holloway, voted against.
The move to give Agora Gaming Centre a licence to open at the former Emily’s Home store in Junction Road has shocked residents. Planning permission for change of use of the shop has been refused by the council, although the firm is expected to appeal.
More than 50 residents signed a petition against the licence bid, and dozens of letters of objection were handed to the licensing committee at its meeting on Monday.
Cllr Willoughby, who chaired the meeting, argued later that it was difficult to object to a licence for the gaming centre on current guidelines. But the committee would insist on proper supervision of the centre and safeguards, particularly between 3pm and 5pm when children were around.
Cllr Edwards argued that under gaming laws there was a duty to protect vulnerable people from spending their money unwisely. Junction ward Labour councillor Janet Burgess, one of the objectors, was disappointed by the licence approval. “The people making the application for the centre didn’t appear to know anything about the locality,” she said.
“Archway is one of the most deprived areas in the UK, with a lot of vulnerable people living nearby. There are also a number of bus routes used by up to 5,000 schoolchildren each day.”
Archway town centre manager Anna Woodward said there were already seven bookmakers nearby. “I would happily work with the owners to discuss an alternative type of retailer,” she added.
Objector Russell Child estimated that, with 40 machines each making £2,000 a week, £100,000 or more would be taken from the weekly wages of local people.
Adrian Betham, from Better Archway Forum, said the decision to grant the licence was inconsistent.
He added: “There is a known shortage of facilities in the north of the borough for young people who congregate at Archway, so the best efforts to exclude them from the premises are unlikely to be adequately successful.”
Legal representative for Agora, Roger Etchells, argued that the company, which already operates a gaming centre at the Nag’s Head in Holloway, has a strict code of conduct.
“The gaming laws are very tough,” he said. “There is no admission for people under age and close scrutiny of vulnerable types. We have similar operations throughout the country and experience very few, if any, problems.” |
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