This is despite the council previously refusing a planning application for the new venue in April
A gambling chain has been granted a licence to operate a 24/7 shop directly opposite Earl’s Court Tube station.
Silvertime Amusements was granted a license by Kensington and Chelsea Council following a meeting last month.
This is despite the council previously refusing a planning application for the new venue in April. Silvertime Amusements will now need to appeal the planning decision to go ahead with its plans.
The betting shop chain already operates a venue on Earl’s Court Road. It is seeking to move this operation to a larger and more prominent location at a former Lloyds bank, opposite the Tube station.
The application has been unpopular with the local community, with its licensing application receiving 346 objections.
Human Rights advocate, Bianca Jagger, has also spoken out in opposition to the application, saying that children in the area must be “protected from harm.”
All three of the Earl’s Court ward councillors have also publicly opposed the plans.
Councillor Linda Wade, who represents the area, said: “The impact of this application cannot be overstated.
“It is detrimental to the local area, it does not recognise the level of street livers who are vulnerable and the need to beg, it has targeted an area of deprivation in a borough with the highest level of inequalities and in a ward with a high level of need either in the special supported hostels and complex needs in General Housing.
“This was a missed opportunity by the borough. They did not engage with Public Health as an interested body, but have now said that they would consult them going forward.”
Legal Counsel Andrew Woods, who represented Silvertime at the hearing, said that his client has operated at its current site for 10 years with no issues. He said that the relocation to 177-179 of the busy London road would provide better and more comfortable facilities with additional gambling machines.
If Silvertime’s planning appeal is successful, the new site would have around 40 machines compared to the 26 in place at the applicant’s current site.
It will also need to have an SIA trained door supervisor on the door at all times the premises is open for gambling.
Silvertime will also be required to close down its operation at 169 Earl’s Court Road before gambling takes place at the new premises.
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