Blackburn snooker hall betting shop plans rejected

10:52am Wednesday 9th July 2008

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A BID to open a late-night betting shop at a snooker hall has been thrown out by councillors.

An application had been made by bosses at John’s Snooker and Pool bars, Clayton Street in Blackburn, for a betting shop that would have opened for almost 24 hours a day, only closing between 6am and 8.30am.

Blackburn with Darwen Council officers had objected to the plans, claiming restrictions were needed to comply with Gambling Commission guidelines.

The council’s licensing sub committee was also warned that “vulnerable people” would not be protected by the plans, which were a “potential threat to social responsibility”, and concerns were also raised that alcohol would be on sale near the gambling area.

Chris Allen, head of environmental health and trading standards, said before the meeting: “Our aim is to protect vulnerable people who could lose substantial amounts of money on these high stake slot machines or on other forms of betting.”

And the sub-committee rejected the application at a meeting this week.

The panel had been presented with three options - granting the application, granting it with conditions, or outright refusal.

The applicant, Jehan Zaib, who represented himself at the hearing, had presented a petition of people in favour of his plans. He promised no under 18s would be allowed inside the gambling area.

But speaking afterwards, committee chairman Coun Roy Davies said: “It was rejected, mainly of the fear of harm to children if it went ahead.

“If someone goes in there at night time it’s difficult to control who much they spend.”