Government Adopts Proposals On Betting Shops

Don Foster, the MP for Bath, has welcomed news that the Government is consulting on plans to make it harder for betting shops to open ‘overnight’.

These plans that would help tackle the “clustering of Betting Shops” on High Streets across the country.

At present Betting shops sit in Use Class A2 along with banks, building societies, estate and employment agencies and others.

Any of these other uses can be changed to betting shops without planning permission. Worse, some uses in Class A1 – like restaurants and snack bars can also change to A2 – including Betting Shops – without permission.

For some years, Don Foster has campaigned make betting Shops a “single use category” so that specific planning permission is always required for a new one.

He championed the move when he was a Minister in DCLG and, more recently, he received unanimous support for a motion on the issue at last year’s Autumn Lib Dem Conference.

The government has now agreed and is consulting on how such a move should be implemented.

Commenting, Don said: “I am delighted the Government has now announced plans to give local people more say in what kind of shops are in their area. There can be little doubt that the increase in betting shops has had a negative effect on communities, so now it’s time to give back power to local communities.”

Don has also welcomed plans for increased taxes on the betting machines in Betting Shops.