Paddy Power betting on empty shop in Gloucester
WORK has started to transform an empty city centre shop into a bookmakers.
Paddy Power is planning to open at 11 Southgate Street, taking over a unit that has been empty for months.
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But the news has received a mixed reaction in the heart of the city.
Gerry Foote from the London Camera Exchange, which is opposite the new betting shop, would prefer to see a retail outlet there.
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He said: "I have nothing against betting shops, but I don't think there will be as much footfall compared to if it was a retail outlet.
"Gloucester is really lacking quality independent shops, like ours, which has been here for 40 years, and we need to attract these.
"Ladbrokes is already opposite and since the smoking ban came into force, bookies don't seem to attract as many customers as it is not a place people go to socialise like they used to.
"It has been empty for a couple of months and it being open is better than empty, but it would have been preferable to stay as a retail outlet."
Both Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero objected to the plans to turn the former shoe shop into a bookies, arguing that the plan would not add to the vitality of the street.
But Gloucester City Council leader Paul James said it may have been a struggle to get a retailer in.
He said: "I was reluctant about having a bookmaker there, but it is better than having an empty unit."
Paddy Power was unavailable for comment.
Comments
by TimMessanger
Monday, November 05 2012, 2:26PM
“"Police statistics obtained under Freedom of Information show violent crime in betting shops in Britain rose by 9% between 2008 and 2011.
Betting shop managers told the programme they believed one cause was high stake, fast-paced gaming terminals. "”
by jforden21
Sunday, October 28 2012, 8:18PM
“FOBT's ruin lives.....coffee doesn't. Each FOBT will take £800 profit a week. There are 4 machines so thats £3200 a week, which around £13000 a month. 1 shop will generate £170,000 a year of peoples hard earned. There are 8 bookies in my area. 4 of which are william hill so thats almost a £1,000,000 a year. WASTED on bookmakers. A punter becomes addicted with loosing all the time, which then funds borrowing from payday loans companies, spending all the savings they can get hold of or there wages....its a vicious cycle. THe bookmaker will argue that they are "creating jobs" well....thats true. Minimum wage jobs - that develop little or no skills other than sitting on your **** and taking abuse off frustrated FOBT players. At least with COSTA - you get a coffee, you employ people who can take a respectable career in the catering industry......”
by gloscityguy
Friday, October 26 2012, 12:40PM
“not a good change though NibNobs
coffee shops and pound shops might make for a pretty poor city centre, but bookies bring nothing to an area.”
by GlosAnarchy
Friday, October 26 2012, 8:53AM
“4 more FOBTs to leach money out of the local economy!”
by NibNobs
Friday, October 26 2012, 8:52AM
“Well it makes a change from yet another overpriced coffee shop selling a cup of froth for £2.50, or another pound shop, even the new B&M looks like a pound shop.”
by DAMO1089
Friday, October 26 2012, 8:27AM
“Words fail me.”