De Beauvoir residents have hit out against William Hill’s plans to move a betting shop to a popular social area, with the Town Hall campaigning against the ‘betting shop free for all’ in the borough.
The betting giants have applied to move one of their outlets to Whitmore Road, but an online petition is pleading with the council to reject the proposals.
Chris Hartley, who is leading the campaign, believes the shop will damage recent regeneration efforts to provide more open space and social seating for the community.
“These areas are largely used by school children, particularly in the summer months.”
He also said that the nearby leisure centre made the location inappropriate for bookies.
“Britannia Leisure Centre is located on this junction; one entrance is directly opposite the proposed shop.
“Each day there are junior classes for the 0-15 age range and also a swimming pool that is youth focused with no lane swimming and recreational slides.”
The petition has so far generated almost 100 signatures.
Alec McCrindle signed the petition. He said: “I’m saddened by the growth in betting shops, specifically in areas with lower wage averages.”
Hackney Council’s campaign against betting shops
Hackney Council have launched a campaign of their own in an attempt to end the current ‘betting shop free for all.’
Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe said:
“Something needs to be done to stop betting shops cynically targeting deprived communities.
“Many act like financial vampires feeding off vulnerable people, fueling addictions and other problems and adding to the difficulties of already hard-pressed families.
“They’re also sapping the vibrancy and variety from our high streets, and squeeze out potential local enterprises that could use the premises for something positive and constructive.
He added that the government should support the council because the government is always saying it supports localism and local people shaping their communities.
“Hackney is asking for change on betting shops to allow this, a change recommended by the Government’s own high streets tsar and supported by a wealth of other research and reports.”
Hands tied
Paul Bolding, secretary of the De Beauvoir Association, sympathised with Mr Hartley’s efforts, but warned that council powers on this matter were limited.
“It seems the council’s hands may be tied because planning laws restrict the extent to which a council can reject betting shops just because they don’t like the idea.
“There are already betting shops within a few hundred metres in Downham Road and Southgate Road as well as others in Kingsland Road and Hoxton Street, so there does seem to be a concentration already.”
Unfairly represented
A spokesperson for William Hill said: “There is currently a betting shop very nearby. The reason we are moving is that it’s a safer site and it’s a better environment for our staff and our punters.
“The concept that betting shops are automatically a hide for drinking and smoking is unfair.
“We don’t want that either and work closely with the council to ensure that won’t happen.”
