Trader anger at another bookmakers (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Paddy Power opens bookies in Bradford
6:11pm Monday 17th August 2009 in News By Will Kilner
The new Paddy Power shop in Broadway
A traders’ organisation has hit out at Bradford Council for allowing another betting shop to open amid fears that Bradford is turning into “Las Vegas without the glamour”.
But the Council says it was unable to stop Paddy Power from moving into Broadway because its shop was not technically a change of use and so did not require planning permission.
Paddy Power’s branch is in a row including Ladbrokes, William Hill and Leisure Land amusement arcade, with only the Acropolis cafe interrupting the line-up.
Bradford Chamber of Trade is set to call an emergency meeting to discuss what it regards as the “take-over” of the city centre by bookmaker’s shops and amusement arcades.
Many are located in buildings once occupied by highly-regarded retailers, notably the former home of the Brown, Muff department store in Market Street.
Today, Mary Frame, of the chamber of trade, said: “This is just crazy. It’s getting completely out of hand because it’s taking away a core of Bradford that should be retail.
“Any further bookmaker’s shops have got to be opposed very strongly. We are really quite annoyed about them taking over this part of town.
“It’s creating a bad impression and it’s so near to City Hall as well. Someone has got to take a stand against this because it’s just becoming a gaming area.”
Mrs Frame said Bradford’s ever-increasing gaming and gambling outlets put it at risk of becoming a less glamourous version of Las Vegas.
A Paddy Power spokesman said: “We are confident our arrival will be of benefit to punters who will enjoy the better value and concessions that Paddy Power offer – and they will find other betting shops, having had it easy for so long, will also be forced to start providing their customers with a better service in order to compete with us.
“That can only be of benefit to Bradford punters in the long run.”
A Council spokesman said: “Because the sub-division of the Acropolis currently provides an area for non-retail use, this is a permitted development not requiring planning permission.
“Whenever we receive a planning application for a change to non-retail use, we assess the impact it would have on the existing shopping in the area and look to provide an appropriate balance of retail and non-retail uses.”
The latest concerns have emerged only three months after a Betfred bookmaker’s shop opened up just around the corner, on Market Street.
Then the Reverend Chris Howson, city centre mission priest, said he was “saddened” to see more betting shops coming into the city centre, saying there were already plenty of places for people to bet in the area.
Comments(25)
Welcome To The New World Order
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7:10pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Cat In The Hatt
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7:29pm Mon 17 Aug 09
joanne
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7:32pm Mon 17 Aug 09
BD16
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7:40pm Mon 17 Aug 09
tallulah
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7:53pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Rambo
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7:57pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Look at the other headline about the young unemployed, and the other about the murder and the mass brawl the other night.
What is this city heading for? The only places that open are bookies, cash coverters, pound shops (and even some of them are closing down) and just the general shops that hardhip and poverty thrive on.
scanipoos
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8:06pm Mon 17 Aug 09
MrB77
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8:58pm Mon 17 Aug 09
albion
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9:20pm Mon 17 Aug 09
scanipoos wrote:Funny how thousands of other people find them every day!
leeds is no better all I found when visiting the city was cafes no idea where the shops were . im dissabled so walking to try and find some was horrendious. i gave up in the end.
This report highlights the sad decline that we have debated here many times before, the same sad decline that the council and some of its toadies are in complete denial of.
Mike Strutter
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9:22pm Mon 17 Aug 09
scanipoos wrote:Most of the cafes are in the retail area so me thinks you are mischief making here.
leeds is no better all I found when visiting the city was cafes no idea where the shops were . im dissabled so walking to try and find some was horrendious. i gave up in the end.
Peter in Wibsey
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9:58pm Mon 17 Aug 09
ROFLLMAO
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10:18pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Maybe the council is aiming to make the city as unsafe at the daytime as it is at night?
MrB77
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10:18pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Peter in Wibsey wrote:Exactly... I used to go in the goose myself when it first opened, was quite a nice bar... Now it resembles fight club. only 15 minutes ago did i witness yet another street fight outside the goose. Police are there now... yet again!!!
Yes am afraid i have to agree with the previous posts, after an occasional visit to the city centre I come away feeling somewhat depressed at the sight of all the low lifes hanging around; I can well remember the Goose first opening, it was quite a pleasant place to call in for a snack, I wouldnt dream of it now, looking in when walking past, wow, what a change, seems to be totally full of unsavoury characters
Tyke69
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10:33pm Mon 17 Aug 09
scanipoos wrote:I actually tend to agree with you there! I was a student in Leeds 20 years ago and lived there for several years, it used to be a vibrant, diverse city with many independent shops but not anymore. All the shops are chainstores now and it could be any city in the UK. It only caters for people with plenty of money now who don't mind paying £3 for a cup of warm milk that masquerades as coffee.
leeds is no better all I found when visiting the city was cafes no idea where the shops were . im dissabled so walking to try and find some was horrendious. i gave up in the end.
When I moved to Bradford I actually used to prefer doing my shopping here rather than Leeds, I find it really sad to see how Bradford has gone downhill in such a short space of time. I never take my family into Bradford city centre now, it's not a fit place to take young children to.
MP
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10:35pm Mon 17 Aug 09
....and then we just think 'oh well at least its not another boarded up shop' and hand out planning permission....
klydan
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11:12pm Mon 17 Aug 09
tallulah
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11:36pm Mon 17 Aug 09
MP wrote:that's why in certain areas there are at least 10 takeaways or 5 bookies all in a row????
“Whenever we receive a planning application for a change to non-retail use, we assess the impact it would have on the existing shopping in the area and look to provide an appropriate balance of retail and non-retail uses.”
....and then we just think 'oh well at least its not another boarded up shop' and hand out planning permission....
Dr Evil
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2:10am Tue 18 Aug 09
Mike Strutter wrote:I think that perhaps scanipoos' disability is Blindness.....
scanipoos wrote: leeds is no better all I found when visiting the city was cafes no idea where the shops were . im dissabled so walking to try and find some was horrendious. i gave up in the end.Most of the cafes are in the retail area so me thinks you are mischief making here.
c/pot
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9:11am Tue 18 Aug 09
tallulah wrote:Dont forget sari shops and mosques,they are every where.Would they be there if no grants were given to these people?
MP wrote: “Whenever we receive a planning application for a change to non-retail use, we assess the impact it would have on the existing shopping in the area and look to provide an appropriate balance of retail and non-retail uses.” ....and then we just think 'oh well at least its not another boarded up shop' and hand out planning permission....that's why in certain areas there are at least 10 takeaways or 5 bookies all in a row????
BD16
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10:03am Tue 18 Aug 09
My parents, aunts and uncles who were all brought up in Bradford, and were proud of the fact, have now all left the city behind and are disgusted at was has happened to the proud place that they grew up in.
Rambo
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12:33pm Tue 18 Aug 09
Can't anyone see theres nothing here to keep anyone with any ambition? Next year hopefully I'll be moving away. But I was hoping to be sad at leaving it behind, not looking forward to it.
Mr Gummage
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1:18pm Tue 18 Aug 09
Cunni88
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1:30pm Tue 18 Aug 09
cheelvis
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10:28am Wed 19 Aug 09
Buy anything in any shop or put it on a horse.
What a great city
ROFLLMAO says...
6:25pm Mon 17 Aug 09
Las Vegas without the glamour, we're not even Blackpool without the glamour.
On a "positive" note, most bookies in Bradford tend to be on the receiving end of violent robberies, so maybe the locals have the last laugh after all?