A gambling operator is seeking to open an amusement arcade 21 hours a day. Merkur Slots has filed an application for planning permission to Stockton Council, seeking the body to allow it to extend the opening hours of the adult gaming centre situated on the town’s high street from 9:00 AM to 6:00 AM.
The company also claims that evidence from “covert observations” prove that the proposed operating hours will not boost criminal and anti-social behaviour in local communities.
Two years ago, in 2021, Merkur Slots filed an application seeking to allow it to open its amusement arcade 24/7 but the Stockton City Council only allowed it to extend the closing time from 8:00 PM to midnight. At the time, the proposed 24-hour opening faced an objection from an environmental health officer and Cleveland Police, as they were concerned that it would boost anti-social behaviour and criminal activity in a high-crime area in close proximity to some pubs.
Now, Merkur Slots claims that it can effectively prove that the proposed extended operating hours until 6:00 AM are not associated with increased levels of anti-social behaviour or crime in the locality. The company has tabled an independent observation report issued by a licensing and security company.
The consultant who prepared the report, Stuart Jenkins, confirmed that he watched the area and visited both Merkur Slots amusement arcade and another high-street amusement centre, played on machines and observed customers through one weekend night in June 2023. He reports that the staff in both venues were polite, friendly and informative and claims that Merkur Slots takes protection against gambling-related harm and safer gambling seriously. According to him, the company’s premises are well-run and their operation considerably minimises the risk of increased criminal activity and disorder in the area, as the gambling operator’s venues do not have any negative impact on the local community, infrastructure, or environment.
Independent Observation Report Finds No Increase in Anti-Social or Criminal Behaviour in the Area
Merkur Slots’ agents – Planning Potential Ltd – have confirmed that the company had asked Leveche Associates Ltd to conduct independent observations on the existing premises of the company and the surrounding area to measure the potential negative impact that Merkur Slots’ operations might have on the community. They also noted that during observations, the machines available at Merkur Slots’ premises did not provoke any anti-social behaviour either inside or outside the gambling operator’s premises.
According to the company and its agents, the independent observations carried out by former police officers assisting the company with the licensing and planning process found no issues with the Merkur Slots premises whatsoever. The conclusion of the report proved that the operation of Merkur Slots’ premises did not provoke any criminal activity, disorder, noise, or anti-social behaviour that would have had a negative impact on the environment, the infrastructure or the residents who lived nearby. The wider community was not affected either.
The gambling operator believes that the potential operating hours extension would not have any negative effects on the neighbours of the Merkur Slots premises, be they residents or other businesses. The report also asserted that internal noise levels were low, and the sound insulation of the premises was good enough so that no noise could be heard outside the venue.
The company’s agents have also highlighted the fact that, at the time of writing the report, there had been no complaints in regard to noise or any anti-social behaviour that could have put local residents or communities in danger. The number of Merkur Slots’ customers was also significantly lower during night-time hours, and a member of staff would always make sure they respect the surrounding residential amenities.
- Author
Olivia Cole
