Legislation

UK – Preston hopes for landmark casino licence

By Phil - 16 December 2013

A team of businessmen in Preston are working with the National Casino Industry Forum (NCiF) as they bid to win a landmark casino licence for the Lancashire town.

Led by Edgar Wallace, owner of the former Fives bar building in Guild Hall Street, the group is supporting a motion going through the Houses of Commons which would see casino licences become portable. This would allow Preston to use a dormant licence granted to a town or city that has not been developed.

The aim is to bring a leading casino operator to the town early next year with a gaming floor opening in the two upper levels of the former Preston Conservative Club building.

Graham Parr, agent for Mr Wallace, revealed that there were around 40 localities, including places like Lytham, that had casino licences despite no operators showing interest in developing them. He said the ‘portability motion’ would transfer the licences from these other towns to places where there was interest. “We’re hopeful that the portability motion will go through early in the New Year, and in the meantime, we’re organising a case for planning consent, ready for when Preston gets the go-ahead,” he explained. “Preston needs a casino.”

Councillor John Swindells, Deputy Leader of Preston Council, said: “It’s my understanding that if the licences were made portable, the local authority would have to agree to have one. There is no position on that at the moment, because it’s not been on our agenda since about 2006, when the Blair government was awarding licences, and we decided not to go for one.”

Council leader Peter Rankin added: “It’s a fabulous building and I personally can’t think of a better use of it.”