Bid to curb betting shop ‘blight’ gains support from local councils
Labour candidate for London Mayor Ken Livingstone visited Mare Street with Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe and other Labour politicians last year, calling for greater power for local councils to oppose the opening of more bookies. Photo: Figen Gunes
Hackney’s betting shop boom is under threat as council leaders across the country are calling for greater local powers to prevent new ones opening.
Earlier this month (Tuesday 8 November), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman both said local councils should be given extra powers to limit the number of betting shops in any given neighbourhood.
There are 64 betting shops in Hackney, including eight on Mare Street, and the borough is home to three times as many betting establishments as the average local authority area.
The LGA claims that high numbers of betting shops result in “crime, disorder and misery for local people”, and says councils should be able to block new openings “if they are to cause a public nuisance.”
Ms Harman, meanwhile, released a report this month which claims that betting shops are a “blight” to local communities. She said: “Local councils and communities [should] be given more powers to limit the number of betting shops opening.
“There must be the right protection in place for our high streets and vulnerable communities.”
“Evidence from across the country clearly illustrates the need to end the domination that gambling firms are extending over our high streets. Now is the time to prevent these shops from blighting our high streets and the lives of the most deprived people in our communities.”
Theses concerns echo those of Hackney Council, which raised the issue of the proliferation of betting shops some time ago.
In 2009, using the Sustainable Communities Act, Hackney Council put forward a proposal to the government to limit the concentration of betting shops in the borough’s high streets.
Only last year, Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, claimed the density of betting shops was “turning Hackney into a mini Las Vegas”.
“I and the people of Hackney do not want the future of our borough to be gambled away like this,” she said. “Hackney has high levels of unemployment and poverty, and betting shops are a temptation to make money quickly.
“They also attract crime and anti-social behaviour to surrounding areas without offering any benefit in return,” she added. “The government and local councils need to act together to stop our high streets being dominated by the gambling industry.”
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson joined into the debate last month, encouraging a national change to planning laws which would restrict the the growth of bookies.
“I recognise that betting shops have an important role to play in our culture and provide entertainment to many people,” he said, “but there is a balance to be struck between having betting shops as a part of the high street mix and the negative impact they can have on shoppers and visitors when they start to dominate.”
The London Mayor had previously been criticised for refusing to introduce a London-wide planning policy encouraging councils to take action on the saturation of betting shops, takeaways and other types of business.
Green Party London Assembly Member Darren Johnson has welcomed the Mayor’s call for the Government to introduce planning powers to “help control the proliferation and clustering of betting shops”, and will be asking the Mayor again to use his own powers to tackle this problem.
Mr Johnson said:” I’m glad the Mayor has changed his mind about this. Lots of communities are crying out for help in stopping their high streets being taken over by betting shops, takeaways, off licenses or estate agents.
“I’ll be repeating my call for the Mayor to do his bit by writing it into London’s planning policy. When I asked him last year to help councils stop areas becoming overwhelmed with certain types of business he dodged it.”
He said: “Lots of communities are crying out for help in stopping their high streets being taken over by betting shops, takeaways, off licenses or estate agencies. I’ll be repeating my call for the Mayor to do his bit by writing it into London’s planning policy.”
The Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) has, in response to criticisms, expressed its disappointment at the various “unwarranted” attacks on a “responsible and well-regulated” industry.
“There is absolutely no evidence that betting shops increase poverty in local communities,” said Dirk Vennix, the organisation’s chief executive.“In difficult economic times, politicians need to support businesses, not go out of their way to attack what is, for most people, a fun and safe experience in a friendly environment.”
“There is absolutely no evidence that betting shops increase poverty in local communities,” said Dirk Vennix, the organisation’s chief executive.“In difficult economic times, politicians need to support businesses, not go out of their way to attack what is, for most people, a fun and safe experience in a friendly environment.”
Dirk Vennix has obviously never been to the Betting shops on Lower Clapton rd, Chatsworth Rd and the Narrow way
I’m frankly surprised that Mayor Pipe hasn’t proposed a ‘nil’ policy for bookies in Hackney…
GSOB,consultation papers are on the way as we speak!
First smoking, then strip venues, now betting shops are we trying to turn London into Iran ?
There is nothing wrong with betting shops where the community wants them – the question is why is there so many in one of the most deprived borough’s in London? I doubt its the newly arrived gentrifiers frequenting them.
So its up to the community then?If like everything else thats gone down before,the real locals wont have a say in the matter.
@Ben: And that’s part of the reason why the arrivistes and their Blairite representatives are so keen to get rid of them. I agree with having planning restrictions on certain types of premises; what I really object to is the proscriptive, patronising attitude of certain local politicians towards people of a different social class to themselves.
Pat’s right: Mayor Pipe’s clique has shown a marked tendency to ignore the opinions of long-term locals in Hackney.
The same arguement is being used here:crime disorder anti social behaviour etc that was put forward in the nil sex policy.When the council was asked for the figures to back this up they wouldnt produce any.However the police stats showed that the bars causing all the trouble.73% in one case werent the strip clubs.
I don’t agree with the nil sex policy, or a nil betting shop policy – but surely the community should get some sort of veto over the proliferation of paddy powers, betfreds, william hills in a local area?? Just at the bottom of the narroway they’ve taken over the railway tavern and the other building by the church – there are another 3 on the way up lower clapton rd and at least 2 on Chatsworth rd….its not great, and don’t see how they enhance the area in anyway?
I don’t know enough about the details of Pipe’s clique to comment. But democracy loses out when communities have no right to block the proliferation of unwanted developments in their area – the council has no powers either and thats why changes are needed…
Ben,there are eight off licenses in Hoxton street.The council have been constantly told of the problems these cause and have done nothing about it.Its only when something becomes a problem for the council do they do anything . There are two betting offices in Hoxton and you dont see a police van outside these everyday trying to sort out rows over the ownership of a can of beer.All of our streets seem to have no balance in the types of shops that occupy them,its all either fast food,hairdressers,off licenses or it now seems in certain parts betting offices.
Dont forget Pipeshaft flogging the old town hall on the Narroway only for Coral to set up shop there.
There are so many betting shops in Hackney because there are so many customers. Bookies aren’t stupid they would only open shops if they make them money. Ben I doubt you have ever been in one. I have worked in betting shops, Arthur Prince and then Coral and they are full of our asian brothers and west indians who love a bet and the company of their mates for the afternoon watching the gee gees, dogs and footy with some rum in a coke can
These betting shops inflate rents and prevent other shops from providing a service. Ok, they have a social function, a space for men to hang out without drinking alcohol, but this is a delivery system for an equally addictive habit. The sight of a betting shop in the Old Town Hall is a jaw-dropping embarrassment to visitors – that beautiful building should be a cafe and cultural centre, connecting with the heritage of the Tower, square and park by it.
Hopefully in the future I’ll have the pleasure of clicking on Hackey Citizen to be met with the headline: “Bid to curb pop up gallery and poncy festival ‘blight’ gains support from local councils “
the old town hall was sold years ago. it was a bank before it was a Coral. But don’t let facts get in the way…
“These betting shops inflate rents and prevent other shops from providing a service.”
Just like when any other major chain moves onto a shopping street, in other words?
“Ok, they have a social function, a space for men to hang out without drinking alcohol, but this is a delivery system for an equally addictive habit.”
And, as with alcohol, only a small minority develop an addiction, for which they themselves are ultimately responsible.
“The sight of a betting shop in the Old Town Hall is a jaw-dropping embarrassment to visitors…”
Oh, I see: Hackney ought to be some kind of theme park for tourists, rather than serving the needs and wants of residents! :-/
I don’t disagree that local communities ought to have some kind of control over the number of betting shops in a given area (see my comments above), but the Pipe regime seems intent on imposing its puritanical ‘grand’ vision on the ordinary citizens of Hackney.