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Church and congregation won’t back casino
CONTROVERSIAL plans to open a high stakes casino in Bloomsbury may be spiked following a divine intervention.
The rector of St George’s Church in Bloomsbury Way is opposing an application to open the casino in a hotel next door to the Grade I listed building. Thistle Hotels has applied to Camden Council for a gaming licence.
Rev Perry Butler said: “I and several members of the congregation are unhappy with this proposal. The historic ‘core’ of Bloomsbury around the church has a distinctive ambience.
“St George’s has recently been restored at the cost of £9.2 million and is now both parish church and a major heritage site. Leaving aside moral considerations relating to gambling itself, I question whether it is appropriate to have a casino on Bloomsbury Way”
Alan Spence, chairman of the Bury Place Residents’ Association, said: “To have a casino as a next door neighbour to a world historic church is an inappropriate as having a cigarette factory next door to a hospital. The educational, spiritual and cultural facilities are in direct contrast to what a casino provides. Particularly, as the Thistle Hotel exists cheek by jowl with the church.”
Mr Spence, who lives in Russell Chambers, added: “Our seven acre ‘little Bloomsbury’ consists of a series of small streets with a substantial number of homes with young people living here. The addition of a casino is viewed with real alarm given the addictive nature of casino gambling.”
A Thistle spokesman said: “From the outset we have had a number of meetings with local residents and taken on board their concerns. It would not be in Thistle’s interests to operate in a way that would cause disturbance to its own hotel guests.”
The plans will be contested in a week-long trial at Highbury Magistrates’ Court. The BPRA is due to lodge its objection on December 14. |
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