City Council rules on 24/7 slots

A gambling shop will be allowed to open longer after late-night plans were backed by the council.

Merkur Slots, formerly known as Cashino, had put in plans to open 24/7 at its venue in The Cross which led to West Mercia Police raising concerns over creating more trouble in one of the city’s notorious hotspots for drunken and late-night disorder.

West Mercia Police was against the 24/7 plan from the start but said it was willing to ‘trial’ a 2am cut-off so officers could keep on an eye on the situation and review it in the future.

Planning officers at Worcester City Council said the fears from police were “rational and reasonable” but it was willing to accept the gambling shop closing at 2am instead of midnight.

A report from the council’s planning department said: “There is a real concern that the proposed 24-hour use of the gaming centre has the potential to exacerbate existing levels of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

“Given the concentration of other late-night uses within the vicinity of the site, it is not considered that a 24-hour use of the premises can be supported at this time, not even on a temporary 12-month basis and that further monitoring of the impact of the agreed extended opening hours should be carried out before any further extension to the opening hours is considered.”

Bosses at the amusement centre in The Cross, which is filled with slot and fruit machines as well as tablets for online bingo, say they have received no complaints about noise since opening at the end of 2020.

Merkur Slots had called on the council to be consistent after awarding a neighbouring amusement centre in Broad Street the right to open 24 hours a day earlier this year.

Shipley Amusement Centre, which moved from the former Scala Theatre in Angel Place around the corner to Broad Street in the building formerly occupied by BrightHouse, was given permission to open 24 hours a day – a privilege which Merkur Slots say should also be extended to its venue.