An Explosion of Gaming Venues in Wood Green (From Haringey Independent)

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An Explosion of Gaming Venues in Wood Green

11:19pm Monday 28th January 2008

By Fiyaz Mughal »

Anyone who takes a leisurely stroll on the High Road in Wood Green, will see the explosion of gaming venues that have brought an associated anti-social element to them. The first thing I would like to say is that such gaming venues would never have been allowed in areas like Muswell Hill. There would have been objections and furious local action, yet raft after raft of gaming venues have been approved for licenses and planning permission in Wood Green.

Outside one of these venues near Turnpike Lane, there has been anti-social behaviour conducted by people who congregate around the venue. No doubt they would have lost money on the 'one armed bandits' and residents in my ward have felt intimdated and threatened by these young men. Yet, when I have objected time and time against these gaming venues on the grounds that there are anti-social elements attached to them, the answer and advice has been that residents need to get evidence from the local Police to have their complaints heard.

Now imagine this. Legislation is effectively loaded against residents so that they must make contact with the Police, get access to the right officer, make the enquiry, get the information (where appropriate) and then lodge the complaint. And this is if the public gets wind of licensing with associated planning applications. Allied to this, is the sheer complexity of the legislation and the different grounds on which to apply.

So what has gone horribly wrong when residents have their hands tied round their backs and when proprietors of these businesses get a free run on the backs of poor communities? You see, these gaming venues keep some of the most financially excluded individuals cycling in poverty. It is time that residents have a chance to object to this creeping rot which does little for communities, except fleece and prey on the vulnerable.