Council inept over bookies (From Haringey Independent)

Council inept over bookies

9:27am Friday 18th April 2008

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I attended Metrobet's appeal at Highgate Magistrates Court for a betting office premises licence.

Despite the many strong community objections, which the magistrates failed to consider in their decision, Metrobet won.

Metrobet appealed after the council's licensing sub-committee, for good reasons, rejected its application on November 1.

The responsibility of handling the council's defence fell to the licensing team, which answers to the assistant director of enforcement, who is most concerned about the impact of potential cost on his budget.

Metrobet was served victory thanks to an astonishingly bad and inept fight by the council. It didn't help that the police withdrew their "official objection" at the last moment and that the magistrates are inadequately trained to afford sufficient weight to the council's statement of gambling policy.

This last point is reasonable grounds for appeal to the High Court. The alternative is too horrific to contemplate.

Mario Petrou St Anns Road, Tottenham

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