Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Confirmed: Betting Shop licence applied for 513 Green Lanes
Depressing news:
I don't really want to discuss the whys and wherefores of betting shops anymore. We did that to death on this thread. I just want to express my utter dejection that once again we were correct and we predicted this back in July
I think we will need to fight this. We will need our MPs and councillors united on this and willing to fight it every inch of the way, we need to back our residents groups and submit lots of objections.
Is there any other high street in London which is suffering from this concentation of gambling establishments?
I don't really want to discuss the whys and wherefores of betting shops anymore. We did that to death on this thread. I just want to express my utter dejection that once again we were correct and we predicted this back in July
I think we will need to fight this. We will need our MPs and councillors united on this and willing to fight it every inch of the way, we need to back our residents groups and submit lots of objections.
Is there any other high street in London which is suffering from this concentation of gambling establishments?
Tags for Forum Posts: 513 Green Lanes, betting, betting shops, gambling
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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We know Lammy supports us. What he wants from us is lots of letters that deal with the wider issue of a weak Gambling Act which is designed to help these gambling establishments proliferate within our communities and make it difficult for communities to object.
We can see Nora's comment here that suggests exactly that so lets proceed.
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Permalink Reply by Ruth on
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The letter is available everybody so please use that if you want or write your own. Lets see if we can get a few hundred sent!
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Here's the letter you can email into Mr Lammy regarding the need for a change in the Gambling Act 2005.
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Permalink Reply by jo on
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the people who own and operate these places are business men/women. If there were no demand for the facility they would not spend 10's if not 100's of thousands of pounds investing in fitout costs etc. The another point is natural competetion i.e bookmakers offer differant services and customer service levels, there may be several shops now, but if one of them falls behind in service levels they will close it if its no longer viable (there is only so much business in an area, its not infinate). They won't keep a shop open just for the novelty value or to annoye people. Lastly, I note that many references are made to the spread of betting shops and increasing numbers of shops, for the record they have actualy declined from somewhere in the region of 17000 shops in the 1970's to 8000 odd now. Also, I can see the point of more of the same in terms of william hill or Ladbrokes etc opening but smaller independants are just small businesses the same as any other, often family run. In fact far better run than the big four. I don't use Betfred as I like smaller independants shops where customer service matters! I'm just a punter (customer) who uses these services and before this new law the big four kept better shops from opening which was wrong. Trust me when I say there is only so much business in an area, in some area's bad shops have already closed and the new shops have prospered. The time will come when one or two shops will shut there doors because the area does not warrant them not because of a change in the law.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Thanks for the comments Jo. However, the way I see it, you could use the same argument to justify many things - if there's a demand then society should be given free rein to supply and meet that demand. I'm sure each of us can imagine certain activities and products where we might personally feel that shouldn't apply.
The point here for me is that it shouldn't be the choice of businesses to shape our high street. That should be the choice of the local community. Now, if that community says it wants a legal activity, then fine. What the 2005 Act did was effectively to remove that choice.
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No argument about there being a demand for betting shops but saturating one small area is the issue here and forcing out other family run, independent small businesses, the type of businesses you want to support. I like a flutter and was brought up with horse betting in particular. Even in Ladbrokes, the service is friendly, I even had a cuppa made for me by the bloke behind the counter once. But the argument still stands that the more there are, the more likely people will use them so they help to stimulate a demand. Gamblers anonymous I am sure have evidence for that. Lets have some betting shops. But not 7!
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It isn't the bookies that ruined the high street it was the importing of american style supermarkets and shopping malls that the local councils and government failed to see the damage localy. I'd love to see local small businesses in the area, show me one that will survive the hypermarkets buying power. It would be such a niche business that you probably wouldn't buy there products because there far too exxpensive compared to a supermarket or its such a niche market you wouldn't need or want there product. Small Betting shops compete on equal terms with bigger bookmakers "theres no bulk discount" no stock as such, but again you miss the point. When theres too many, some will shut! then you'll know how many shops Green lanes supports.
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agree about the chains, American or otherwise. I would even more annoyed if there were 7 Starbucks on Green Lanes. Of course chains have caused the main damage but why make things worse by not making attempt to have some diversity? I dont think there are so many betting shops in Crouch End. Ok, its a twee area maybe and demand isthere for a proper bookshop, an alternative health shop etc. But I bet there is demand for those things here too but we dont have them. I walk there to buy things I want and think how good it would be if some of those small outlets were on Green Lanes. I still think as well that betting shops target certain groups and they do encourage more gambling. People eat more junk food cus there are so many junk food outlets...
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It only takes a few seconds to copy, paste and press send to David Lammy. I received a receipt immediately. Please just send the frigging letter. I'm sick to death of walking in the street around a load of bloakes hanging outside the vrious betting shops and clubs.
Pass it on...........
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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The deadline for planning is past but here is advice just in from the LCSP on making an objection to the licence
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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon on
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I completely agree with you Liz about this. Green Lanes and Tottenham High Road are awash with betting shops exploiting poor people, vulnerable people and no doubt making vast profits at the community's expense. I saw an article in the Islington Gazette about the same problems regarding the proliferation of gaming establishments and amusement arcades. One suggestion there is to declare gambling 'saturation zones'.
I'm going to find out more about this and if it's a useful model to follow and can be implemented. Clearly it's much more effective if we work together in Haringey and across boroughs to press for a change in the national law which is destabilising communities and causing serious problems.
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