A 24-hour bingo and slots hall has sparked frustration among Shepherd’s Bush residents after becoming the ninth gambling venue in the area.
Shipley’s Bingo and Slots opened in September in the west London suburb, which was named by the Metropolitan Police as an anti-social behaviour hotspot.
Residents are campaigning for the closure of such venues through groups like Fix Uxbridge Road W12, which focuses on community issues.
Katta Kost, a Shepherd’s Bush resident and member of the group, said: “It is really not fair on the people.
“The local council is promoting a nightlife economy, but it’s a nightlife economy that is not suitable to the residents who live in the area.”
A post shared by Let’s Fix Uxbridge Road (@fixuxbridgeroadw12)
This group are campaigning for the venue to be shut down or for the hours to be significantly reduced, arguing that there is no need for it – especially with a Merkur Slots being opposite on the other side of the green.
Additionally, nearly 30% of the borough’s gambling venues are on Uxbridge Road.
The group’s petition to take urgent action to clean up and restore Shepherd’s Bush got 2,915 signatures, the highest in Hammersmith and Fulham’s history, and led to a cabinet hearing in September.
When questioned about action against the venue, Hammersmith and Fulham Councillor Stephen Cowen said: “We don’t legally have the ability to close them [gambling shops].
“If we could close these things down, we would.”
Kost believes, however, that action against these places could have been taken before the licencing permission was given.
“There’s no real thought or concern for residents or the nature or the identity of the high street that is going into the council’s decisions,” she said.
Support for the closure of such places has been wide-spread across the borough.
Founder of another residents group, Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Green, Jonathan Pearl said: “It is a very sad indictment of our society that we even need to have places like that.
“There are plenty of places to gamble online and there are plenty of betting shops on the green.
“Is there really any need for such a massive 24-hour facility for people to ruin their own lives?”
These groups are calling on supporters to contact their council and the Gambling Commission to make change in their area.
Shipley’s Bingo and Slots has been approached for comment.
Featured image credit: Grace Crowley
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22 March 2023
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