Casino Seeks Full-Time Opening While Council Warns of Risks

_{An Admiral venue in Liverpool. (Image: Tony Smith/Alamy)}

Luxury Leisure, operator of Admiral gaming centres, has applied to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council to remove a condition limiting the opening hours of its Bearwood, Smethwick venue. The aim: to allow the slots premises at 562 Bearwood Road to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

Currently, the site functions between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. under planning permission tied to its conversion from the former NatWest bank. The company is now asking the council to vary that condition (Condition 3 of DC/21/66206) to allow unrestricted operations.  

But the council’s public health department has objected, warning that extending the hours would bring “significant harm” to a locality already saturated by late‑night venues, shops, and takeaways.

Company Cites Noise Study and Precedent, Emphasising Neutral Impact

In support of its application, Luxury Leisure submitted a noise impact assessment from September 2025, which claims there is no residential accommodation directly above or adjacent to the premises. The report argues that internal noise, customer movements, and mechanical plant would cause negligible disturbance even at night, and no structural upgrades are required to maintain amenity levels.

The firm also points to a precedent: a nearby Merkur gaming centre at 544 Bearwood Road had its restricted hours lifted in 2022, which the applicant suggests bolsters their case.

Luxury Leisure frames Bearwood as a “vibrant town centre” with existing 24/7 businesses, food shops, gyms, and other gaming venues, and contends that public transport links support round‑the‑clock accessibility. It argues that the proposal aligns with both the National Planning Policy Framework and Sandwell’s local planning policies (CEN1, SAD DM3), which support complementary leisure uses in town centres.

The company notes that the venue already holds a 24‑hour licence under Sandwell’s licensing regime (which regulates crime, safety, and vulnerability safeguards). It claims that extending planning hours simply brings planning consent into step with existing licensing.

Additional evidence submitted includes internal security procedures, video monitoring, staff training in safeguarding, and partnerships with initiatives such as Streetlink and Walksafe. Customer data from other Admiral sites indicates that early‑morning usage is very low, averaging fewer than four customers per hour between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Public Health and Community Services Warn of Cumulative Effects

Sandwell’s public health department filed a formal objection. It warns the variation would impose “continuous noise, late‑night disturbance, and increased comings and goings, particularly during unsociable hours.

”The objection also raises concerns that the change could “heighten the risk of crime and disorder in the late‑night economy.”

The department highlights that Bearwood Road already hosts a 24‑hour gambling venue and a high concentration of other adult gaming centres and betting shops. It argues the area is already under pressure from the existing night‑time economy, including takeaways, and that an additional 24/7 venue would place further strain on police and community safety resources.

The objection draws attention to the potential cumulative impact on residential amenity and public safety, rather than isolating this venue in isolation from its surroundings.

Wider Context: Gambling Harm, Licensing Frameworks, and Local Pressures

Sandwell has produced a Health Needs Assessment that explores gambling‑related harm within the borough, noting financial, emotional, and social consequences for affected individuals.  

Under the Gambling Act 2005, local licensing authorities must balance the promotion of lawful gambling with objectives including preventing gambling as a source of crime, protecting vulnerable persons, and ensuring fairness.  

In Sandwell, licensing and planning functions are distinct: a premises can hold a licence under gambling law while still being constrained by planning conditions. The applicant’s argument is that planning should not prevent hours already sanctioned via licensing.

The site’s planning record confirms the 2021 change of use from a bank to adult gaming centre, after the bank had closed in 2018 and remained vacant despite intermittent refurbishment efforts.  

Planning Department to Review Representations

The planning department will review all representations, including the company’s proposals and public health objections, before making a decision. If approved, the change would allow the Admiral venue to legally open 24 hours, aligning planning time limits with its existing licence.

Why does this matter? The decision could affect residents’ quality of life, public safety resource allocation, and the broader character of Bearwood’s night‑time economy. Granting extended hours may set a precedent for further late‑night operations. Denying it may limit a commercial operator’s flexibility, but potentially protect residential amenity.