Plans could lead to row of five betting shops on city street

A planning application to convert the former Bronx wine bar on Broadway into a branch of Jenningsbet has been submitted to Bradford Council this week.

If approved, it would create a row of five gambling shops – the vacant bar is sandwiched between a William Hill and Admiral Slots on one side and a Paddy Power and Ladbrokes on the other.

A Subway at the corner of Broadway and Bridge Street would be the only non-gambling business on that side of the city centre block.

The bar was most recently called Bronx, but was previously known as Remy International. But the unit will be remembered by many as the former Acropolis Café until it shut in 2012.

The application says the new Jenningsbet would be the company’s first branch in West Yorkshire – with its closest branch being in Barnsley.

The application says: “This shop and the location have been specifically identified to meet a need for its prospective customers in this location and Jenningsbet’s overall strategy to expand its operations into the north of England.”

A William Hill and Admiral on the other side of the empty bar (Image: T&A)

It says the business would be “an opportunity to avoid a prolonged period of vacancy and to provide economic investment in the unit which will create additional vitality and footfall in the area.”

Bronx closed last Summer, and a possession notice posted on the window says the landlords took possession of the property on August 8 2023.

In 2022 a planning application to convert a vacant bank on neighbouring Bank Street into a Merkur Slots branch was refused by Bradford Council.

Referring to the Broadway application, Si Cunningham, Chair of Bradford Civic Society, said: “It's an unfortunate situation to see the street of Broadway potentially saturated with yet more bookies, and I know people will be frustrated that better retailers seemingly aren't attracted to Bradford city centre at the moment. 

“On the other hand, if it's a legitimate business paying rates, I'm sure some people would find it preferable to yet another empty high street unit.

“The only thing I can think of to soften the blow would be stricter controls on what shop frontages look like, particularly on those older streets.

“Whatever the outcome of application, it highlights the need for more to be done to attract footfall around those historic shopping streets.

“Our recent survey highlighted a number of people have stopped coming into town because they don't feel safe or that there's anything for them. It's hard to see how more bookies will do anything to change those perceptions."

A decision on the application is expected next month.