The recent applications from Coral to open new betting shops around Tooting Broadway have attracted a lot of comment from local residents who are opposed to their plans. I've had a number of these conversations on the doorstep and have been researchng what can be done, so below I set out some background information on betting shops, what I have been doing specifically in Tooting, as well as on the broader questions it raises.
Betting shop basics
The laws surrounding betting shops are complex, involving licensing and planning rules as they do.
Any new betting establishment will need to be granted a license from the local authority. But ever since the 2005 Gambling Act was introduced by the last government, we have had a permissive regime in place. The operator no longer needs to prove local demand – rather, it just has to show that it is unlikely to cause criminal or anti-social behaviour – a much easier test to meet.
The betting shop may also be required to obtain planning consent for change of use from the Council, but this will depend on the existing use of the premise. The key legislation here was also drawn up in 2005 (the Town and Country Planning Order 2005) and is still in force today. As it permits some change of use to occur without planning permission, it can often leave the council powerless to stop new betting shops to open, even when the local community is strongly opposed.
To avoid going into detail, a good rule-of-thumb for planning is that an office, pub, restaurant or takeaway can be converted to a betting shop without having to seek permission. But to convert a retail shop into a betting shop does require approval from the Council.
Most recent betting shop applications in Wandsworth and Tooting have been made for a site that was formerly an office, restaurants, etc, and as such the Council has not been able to prevent them, even where it has wanted to.
2014 applications
Interestingly, Coral’s application on Mitcham Road is to convert the H Samuel site, and as this is classified as a shop, planning permission does need to be granted by the council. I believe that there is no need for another betting shop in this area, since there are already plenty of them within walking distance from the site. Additionally, with the local economy performing well, vacant shops are being re-let pretty quickly at the moment, so I would expect another retailer to open in that space fairly soon. I am not against all betting shop openings, but the specifics of this situation make them unecessary.
Therefore, I have been speaking to the Conservative councillors involved with the planning decision, making it clear that I believe that this application should be rejected. The councillors are sympathetic to the argument and I hope will be able to block Coral’s application at Mitcham Road.
Unfortunately, Coral’s other current application, to convert a kebab restaurant on Tooting High Street into a betting shop, is a ‘permitted development’ and thus does not require change of use consent from the council to go through.
Why build so many betting shops?
It seems unbelievable at first glance that so many betting shops are being built, but once you look at the history of the gambling legislation it becomes much clearer... In 2001, Gordon Brown lifted restrictions on gambling and this enabled bookies to install a new generation of machines (Fixed Odd Betting Machines or FOBT’s) that can take a huge volume of bets in a very short time. Subsequently concerned about the impact of FOBTs, in 2005 the government then restricted the number of these machines that any betting shop could operate. Such is the profitability of FOBT’s however, that the unintended consequence of that was that bookies firms like Coral and William Hill started to apply for more branches, so they could have more FOBTs in total.
So to address the root cause of the proliferation of betting shops, is to revisit the legislation that the last government unwisely brought in. The present government is doing just that and is due to report on this issue in the Spring.
The bigger picture for people power
There is a much broader picture to consider here, beyond the specifics of betting, and that is the question of which powers should be retained nationally and which locally. Personally, I come down strongly in favour of localism, whereby councils, businesses, community groups and individuals are more empowered to make the decisions that best work for their area.
I understand the argument that localism could lead to a wave of NIMBY (not-in-my-back-yard) decisions, but I think it is far more important that we trust and empower people to make the right decision. Furthermore, if we can build upon the changes that this government has made through the 2011 Localism Act, bringing even more power down to the local level, I think this will help significantly in building more community involvement and improving people’s engagement in politics.
So I hope in future years to be able to lend my voice in Parliament for local communities to have greater say in issues surrounding local issues, such as betting and planning permission.