24-hour bingo hall plan thrown out by council

The plans were called "outrageous" by one councillor

A plan to turn a former branch of NatWest bank in Surrey into a 24-hour bingo hall has been thrown out.

The decision by Spelthorne Borough Council last week followed a debate among councillors and opposition from residents who described the idea as "the last straw" for Staines town centre.

The proposal was to convert the vacant listed building's ground floor into a 61-seat adult-only bingo hall operating around the clock - a move which developers Sunni Ed Ltd claimed would bring "vitality and viability" back to the area.

But some dissenters questioned whether the site would instead be used as "an out-and-out gambling hall".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, planning documents indicated that, had the project been greenlit, the developers had intended to apply for a gambling licence before opening.

As part of the licensing process, a risk assessment would have then been carried out.

Councillor Denise Saliagopoulos called the plan "outrageous", saying: "We're going down a slippery slope.

"Why would anyone want to play bingo 24 hours a day?" asked Councillor Chris Bateson.

"I can't imagine a couple saying at 10pm, 'Let's go and play bingo'."

Some questioned if the site would instead be used as "an out-and-out gambling hall"

Ward councillor Howard Williams said the proposal went against local policy designed to protect shopping spaces in Staines town centre, while several others added that the adult-only venue would do little to support an inclusive, family-friendly space.

Its effect on issues like the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) already in place on the High Street was also mentioned.

However, some did concede that bringing the building back into use could help generate footfall, while previous comments on the application suggested possibly repurposing it for community benefit.

Other ideas included turning it into a post office, a cultural centre, a health and wellbeing hub or independent shops.