Former shoe shop to become gambling centre

Slot machines will be installed at a former shoe shop in Cheltenham town centre as civic chiefs approve plans for a gambling centre despite concerns over crime nearby.

Luxury Leisure has been granted a premises licence for the former ShoeZone at 218 High Street in Cheltenham.

The adult gaming centre licence allows them to make gaming machines available for use at the site.

Residents said they were worried about crime but the applicant said it had outlets in tougher places where there "really aren’t problems".

'Crime and disorder'

The trading name of the site will be Admiral and planning permission allows them to open from 09:00 until midnight Monday to Saturday and 10:00 to 22:00 on Sundays.

Representatives of St Mathews and the Minster spoke against the proposals at Cheltenham Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee meeting on June 5 and raised concerns over crime in the area.

They said higher stake game machines may be available at the shop which would be attractive to vulnerable gamblers.

“The Minster is very close to this site,” he said. “The Minster is aware first hand of the crime and disorder in this area.”

“In October 2023 there were 298 crimes, in November 283 crimes, December 335 crimes, January 317 crimes, February 292 crimes, March, the most recent, 341 crimes.”

He said the premises would be in a hotspot of crime in the town.

And he also referenced a handbag theft at Christmas, a teenager beaten up and robbed in December 2022 and an armed robbery of a bookmaker in 2023.

'Aren't problems'

The applicant’s representative said Admiral has 280 outlets nationwide.

“Nobody is suggesting they are responsible for bubbles of disorder or disturbance,” he said.

“We submit our application is a much better offer. Admiral is a brand leader nationally.

“In all the time it has been trading under the current legislation there has never even been an application by anybody to review any of its premises.

“Some of those premises are in really difficult spots in the centre of Manchester, in Piccadilly, by hostels, in Kingsmith and Hammersmith by schools.

“In terms of the kinds of operators in the national market we stand, I respectfully submit, at the top. There really aren’t problems with these premises.”

Council solicitor Vikki Fennell said the committee arrived at a unanimous decision to grant the licence as applied for with the mandatory conditions.

She told the committee there were no objections from bodies such as the police.

“The sub-committee saw no reason to refuse the application based on what the sub-committee has read and heard today,” she said.

“The subcommittee has read the report of the licensing team leader, all of the documentation, they’ve listened to the oral submission from the objectors and the applicant’s representatives.”