Consultation on Betting Shops and Local Gambling Policies

STOP PRESS  28 September 2013

Since we uploaded this story, we have learnt that the council's web team has taken down the consultation.  Pat Gilmore, Ealing Council’s Licensing Manager is very happy to receive emailed responses over the weekend.

We have prepared an MS Word version of the council’s questionnaire, which you may want to complete and email to her at: gilmorep@ealing.gov.uk.

Click here to access the questionnaire and save to your computer before completing and emailing.

Many residents were concerned by the recent conversion of a restaurant to a betting shop in South Ealing Road.  At the time the licensing rules made this virtually impossible to prevent.  One of the concerns is that betting shops are legally allowed to contain both gaming and betting machines.

Ealing Council's licensing team is now consulting on the changes which residents might like to see in local rules which govern the opening of betting shops.  This is particularly important as there is a growing trend to convert restaurants and other premises to betting shops.

The council's consultation survey needs to be completed on line.  It can be found on its website together with a link to the detailed proposals.  To help residents prepare their answers we have produced a PDF version of the questionnaire, (click here) so you can see the questions before you start (but please note the survey must be completed on-line).  While the consultation formally closes this Friday, 27 September, the council officers have kindly agreed to keep it up on their website until first thing on Monday 30 September.  However, it would be best to complete the survey by Friday evening if this is at all possible.

There is a key question at the bottom of page 2 of the survey about introducing a minimum separation distance between gambling premises.

There are a number of comment boxes throughout the survey and you may find it helpful to refer to the special planning rules being introduced by the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, where it will not be possible to open a betting shop within 400 metres of an existing one.  Click here on our website for an overview or go to Barking & Dagenham's own website  for more information.  You may want to request that Ealing introduces similar planning rules in addition to the proposed changes to its licensing rules.

A combination of licensing and planning rules is likely to be the best way of meeting residents' concerns.