Green Party community councillor for Newport Central, Vix Lowthion, is to table a proposal at the next Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council Planning Committee to recommend the refusal of the application for an ‘Adult Gaming Centre’ on Newport High Street.
The application put forward by 25-year-old Joshua Cooper of Coopers Amusements Limited was first announced earlier this month.
Adult Gaming Centres are often called arcades or bingo centres, but the one proposed for Newport would be for over 18s only, open all day from 10:00-22:00 and includes category B3 machine machines with an advertised top prize of £500.
Vix’s proposal for refusal is on the grounds of location in a conservation zone, the negative impact on crime and anti-social behaviour, and the protection of children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. It adds that the location is only metres away from 3 public houses and that ‘studies show that gambling whilst intoxicated leads to larger average bets and rapid loss of funds. Subsequently, this site is not appropriate for Adult Gaming’.
Vix says:
“These are not the low stake slot machines we usually see on piers and seafronts across the Isle of Wight. The location is on a busy route for school children and across the road from the new NHS Community Mental Health Support Hub. An increasing number of vulnerable people in Britain are developing gambling problems and the opening of centres like this will only serve to fuel gambling addiction and risk taking.”
The public consultation is open for all comments until 14th March. The Planning meeting is on Monday 3rd March at 18:00 at 64 High Street, Newport.
Wouldn’t it be a better idea if The Green Party
were more concerned about polluting vehicles
on the island and speeding motorists.
Especially electric cars.
Nothing wrong with owning a Nissan Leaf
Very reliable and clean.
It’s the slippery slope