Locals in Whitby have hit back at plans to build a 24-hour casino. (Image: Getty)
A quiet has become the centre of a heated debate over plans to open a 24-hour casino in its high street. in is best known for its abbey, cobbled streets, and traditional shops. But a proposal to convert last remaining bank into a round-the-clock gambling venue has sparked fierce opposition from locals.
The on Baxtergate is set to close in mid-May, leaving without a single bank. Luxury Leisure, a company specialising in adult gaming centres, put forward a plan to turn the site into a casino, promising a £500,000 investment and the creation of a dozen jobs. However, the proposal was met with strong resistance from residents and business owners, who argued it would damage character and attract the “wrong crowd”.
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The Halifax branch on Baxtergate. (Image: Google )
More than 500 objections were lodged, and Labour MP Alison Hume even raised the issue in Parliament, urging North Yorkshire Council to reject the application.
At a planning meeting on Thursday, councillors voted against the casino, with Cllr Derek Bastiman warning that approving it would turn Whitby into the “Las Vegas of the East Coast”.
Cllr Janet Jefferson added: “Once you open the floodgates, that will be that. Whitby is unique and we should maintain that. There’s no way the place can be controlled 24/7 and I will not support this.”
Despite this decision, Luxury Leisure still has 12 weeks to appeal, meaning the battle may not be over yet.
Local business owners are particularly concerned about how the casino would change the town’s atmosphere.
Alan Landers, who runs a butcher’s shop opposite the Halifax branch, told : “If you want a casino, you can go to any big city – not a little, quaint fishing village.”
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Baxtergate in Whitby. (Image: Google)
Many residents fear the venue would encourage anti-social behaviour and further shift the town’s focus away from local needs.
Edith Harrison, 84, who has lived in Whitby for 20 years, told : “People seem to forget it’s not all holiday homes – there are lots of people who call Whitby home, and they seem to get forgotten about.”
James and Julie Richardson, who have lived in the town for decades, share the concern.
Julie, 72, said: “Whitby is a place for families, for heritage, for history. The last thing we need is a 24-hour gambling den encouraging people to throw away their money.”
The locals are concerned about how the casino would change the town’s atmosphere. (Image: Getty)
Other locals pointed out that Whitby’s high street has already lost many of its independent shops and banks, with more premises now occupied by charity shops and businesses catering mainly to tourists.
Despite the strong opposition, planning officials had initially recommended that the casino be approved, arguing that keeping the site in use would benefit the local economy.
Luxury Leisure also defended the proposal, with a spokesperson saying that there would be “no noisy amusement arcade equipment which attracts under-18s and has an impact on amenity.”
What’s more, the company insisted it would help generate footfall in the town centre and provide new jobs.
Luxury Leisure now has 12 weeks to decide whether to appeal the council’s decision.