After gaining an application for a licence to run a slot machine arcade on Thornton Heath High Street the owners of Admiral are pursuing an appeal to overturn planning refusal to open the gambling centre.

The applicant was denied planning permission to open in the  old HSBC bank at 91 High Street, following a community campaign with a petition signed by almost a thousand people.

 The application for change of use was refused by planners who said it was contrary to the revised Local Plan but the company ploughed ahead with its plans for a gaming licence which was approved and now are appealing against the planning decision. 

The planning inspectorate is likely to be held at the council offices on October 3 with the community able to be represented at the hearing.

Dozens of objections were received by the council against the licence for the 24 hour gaming establishment citing : high crime, anti social behaviour, deprivation and influencing impressionable children attending the leisure centre opposite.

The High Street already has a number of betting shops, the majority of which close at 10pm. 

After discussions with the police Luxury Leisure, Admiral’s parent company, revised the proposed operating conditions from 24-hour opening to 7am to 2pm.