Third casino an odds-on favourite

18 November 2005 07:21

Plans for a third casino in Yarmouth yesterday won unanimous backing at the borough council development control committee.

Palatial Leisure's £2m scheme will involve converting part of its thriving Palace Bingo Club on the site of the former Tesco store in Church Plain.

Mick Castle told the committee: “The fact that the

public gallery is not full of objectors indicates the lack of opposition. The experience of other casinos in the town is that they pose no obvious nuisance.

“If Yarmouth has got a future in expanding its appeal into the casino world, this site would appear ideal.”

Barry Cunliffe added that he could see no planning grounds to refuse the application. Officers had recommended approval, noting that it was unlikely any noise it generated would be worse than lorries unloading at the previous store.

Following the meeting, Palatial Leisure managing director Patrick Duffy announced that it would be immediately applying to the Gaming Board for a certificate of consent, and hoped to be in a position to apply for a Gaming Licence in March.

He said the casino would prove a huge draw on top of the success of its bingo club, which opened in July after a £5.5m conversion scheme.

Some residents in neighbouring Falcon Court had submitted a petition highlighting concern about 6am closing, and the possible influx of extra vehicles, with the possible unauthorised use of parking at their flats.

However, Mr Duffy said he had received unanimous support at a meeting with residents on Monday, and as part of its policy of being good neighbours, his firm would extend CCTV coverage to the flats' entrances.

“There has not been a single incident since the bingo opened in July and crime has gone down. We operate a much stricter regime than most businesses, with firm controls on entry,” he said.

Palatial's bingo clubs extend from London to Salford, Greater Manchester, and significant numbers of its 100,000 members visited Yarmouth last summer to enjoy the new bingo hall.

It is calculated that the casino would employ about

75 staff and generate about 2000 customers a week, with part of this number being existing bingo customers.

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