Councillors approve gambling arcade in Knaresborough despite addiction concernsCouncillors today approved a new gambling arcade opening on Knaresborough High Street despite hearing how the venue could exacerbate addiction during the cost-of-living crisis.
North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate & Knaresborough planning committee met this afternoon to discuss an application by Carl Bearman of Spectacular Bid Ltd to create an adult gaming centre inside the former Yorkshire Building Society building.
Adult gaming centres or arcades typically involve gambling for cash on machines that can include roulette, bingo or slots. Operators of arcades must have a licence from regulator the Gambling Commission.
Mr Bearman proposed the venue, which could have up to 35 machines, opens between 9am and 10pm for over-18s only.
With residential properties upstairs, he agreed a condition with the council whereby the machines would only operate at 25% their normal volume.
But Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, Paul Haslam, queried what would happen if residents made a noise complaint to the council about the machines.
He said he knew of residents making complaints about barking dogs that had not been resolved by the council in over 18 months. Cllr Haslam said:
“What teeth will [the council] have if these machines are making people’s lives upstairs a misery? How will that be resolved? I’m really concerned about this.”
Harrogate-based Spectacular Bid Ltd was not represented at the meeting but council planning officer Stuart Mills responded to questions from councillors. Mr Mills said the council would be able to enforce against noise if the machines went higher than the agreed volume.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East, Hannah Gostlow, said she would be voting to refuse the application due to noise and its visual impact on the high street. Cllr Gostlow said:
“What if 25% is not quite enough for them? It would have to go through enforcement and we’ve heard worrying statements about enforcement.”
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Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough West, Matt Walker, was unable to attend the meeting so Cllr Gostlow read out a statement on his behalf.
Cllr Walker, who works in the NHS, referred to statistics by gambling charity GamCare about rising gambling addiction during the cost-of-living crisis.
His statement said:
“Gambling has been part of our culture for centuries and many people are able to gamble without experiencing issues, however this is not the case for all and the harm from gambling has become a serious and worsening public health problem in the UK.
“GamCare said January 2023 was the month with the highest-ever call volume with it regularly hearing how the rising cost-of-living is affecting callers. People are gambling to win extra cash to pay the bills. Vulnerable people have been drawn in to places such as what is proposed here just to keep warm.”
However, despite saying he was “not a great fan” of gaming arcades, Conservative councillor for Boroughbridge and Claro, Robert Windass, said he felt there were no sound planning reasons to refuse the application, which was recommended for approval in an officer report.
This was echoed by Conservative councillor for Oatlands and Pannal, John Mann, who said:
“I think Matt’s comments are very eloquent. I also am concerned about potential for noise however I also hear what report says.
“I realise noise will be restricted to 25% and that it will be controlled. Having read the report I’m not sure we’ve got sound planning grounds to refuse this, as much as we’d like to. I’ve racked my brains and can’t think of a ground to reject this on.”
Liberal Democrat councillor for Fairfax and Starbeck, Philip Broadbank, then suggested a condition is attached to reduce the hours the arcade closes from 10pm to 9pm, which was voted on and approved by four votes to two.
Councillors Mann, Windass, Haslam and Broadbank voted to approve with councillors Marsh and Gostlow voting against.
Knaresborough amusement arcade set to be approvedAn amusement arcade looks set to open on the site of a former building society in Knaresborough.
The High Street gaming centre will be open to over-18s between 9am and 10pm.
North Yorkshire Council planning officer Sam Witham has recommended councillors approve the scheme when they meet next week — despite objections from Knaresborough Town Council and three residents.
They were concerned about noise, the impact on the High Street appearance and anti-social behaviour.
Carl Bearman, director of a company formed in January called Spectacular Bid, applied to change the use of vacant premises at 30 High Street.
The site, which is on the corner of Knaresborough High Street and Park Place in Knaresborough Conservation Area, was home to Yorkshire Building Society until March 2018.
Mr Whitham’s report to councillors says the location is within the primary shopping area of Knaresborough, complies with the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, and would not harm the character and appearance of the conservation area. It says:
“Subject to conditions, the proposal is acceptable with regards to its impact on neighbouring amenity, and in particular the impact of noise on the residential flats above the ground floor unit subject to this proposal.”
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The report adds:
“The proposed use would bring about the re-use of the property and it is not considered that the use would be incompatible with the town centre location.”
One of the conditions attached to approving the scheme is that machines must not to operate at more than 25% volume.
Councillors on the Liberal Democrat-controlled 13-person Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee will decide whether to accept the recommendation to approve the scheme when they meet on Tuesday next week.
Local MP bags free Elton John tickets from tobacco firmConservative MP Nigel Adams received free tickets from a tobacco firm to watch Elton John at the O2 Arena last month.
Latest updates to Parliament’s Register of Members’ Financial Interests also reveal Mr Adams received payment towards a five-day cricket trip to Corfu as well as free tickets to the Grand National in April
Mr Adams’ Selby and Ainsty constituency includes numerous villages in the Harrogate district, including Follifoot, Great Ouseburn, Sicklinghall, Spofforth, Tockwith and Weeton.
The close ally of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will stand down as an MP at the next General Election.
He accepted two concert tickets, including hospitality, worth £500 at London’s O2 Arena on April 4 — part of Elton John’s farewell tour.
They were paid for by JTI UK, which is part of Tokyo-based Japan Tobacco Group. Its brands include Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut.
The register shows Mr Adams also received free tickets to watch the Grand National at Aintree from healthcare diagnostics company Randox Health, which is principal sponsor of the horse race.
He also accepted contributions from Birmingham cash and carry wholesaler Awan Marketing towards a five-day trip to Corfu where Mr Adams was part of a Lords and Commons cricket delegation in a tournament to commemorate the 200th anniversary of cricket in Greece.
Awan Marketing’s flight and accommodation contributions were estimated to be worth £735.
The Jamaican Tourist Board paid £3,950 towards a similar cricket trip by Mr Adams and a family member to the Caribbean in August last year.
World Cup tickets
This is not Mr Adams’ first gambling firm gift.
JTI has previously paid for Mr Adams, who employs his wife Claire as office manager, to attend Chelsea Flower Show.
He received a total of £6,038 worth of tickets from three separate companies, including two other gambling firms, to watch two England matches at Wembley in Euro 2020.
Last year Mr Adams accepted free tickets and hospitality valued at £2,880 to the FIFA World Cup from the Qatar government.
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Payments to Andrew Jones and Julian Smith
The register also reveals payments to the two other local Conservative MPs in April.
Andrew Jones, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, registered two £5,000 donations in April from Yorkshire Conservative Trust.
The register says the trust, which is based in Burley in Wharfedale, awarded the sums to Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association.
Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith received £727 from the Ulster Unionist Party.
The payment was for flights between London and Belfast and one night’s hotel accommodation for a speaking engagement at the start of April.
Mr Smith is a former Northern Ireland Secretary who frequently tweets about issues affecting Northern Ireland.
Harrogate care worker steals £30,000 from victim to fund gambling addictionA Harrogate care worker stole over £30,000 from a woman with schizophrenia and learning disabilities after developing a major gambling habit.
Linda Thornton, 32, worked for Caretech in Harrogate. She transferred money from the victim’s bank account to her own during a nine-month fraud campaign in which she “drained” the woman’s finances to the tune of £33,525, York Crown Court heard.
All the while, Thornton was using the money to fund her online gambling, spending over £100,000 in nine months and losing £22,000.
Prosecutor Elizabeth Muir said the victim had trusted Thornton “above all other (care workers)” and the two women formed a close bond.
One of Thornton’s roles was to look after the financial interests of the named victim, who lived in supported accommodation provided by the care group.
Ms Muir said the victim, who was 46 at the time, had moved into supported accommodation in late 2018, shortly after receiving a benefits back payment of £28,095.
Asked to borrow money
Suspicions arose when another woman receiving care told her support worker that Thornton, formerly of The Crescent, Guiseley, but currently of no fixed address, had asked to borrow money from her. Ms Muir said:
“Linda Thornton pleaded with her to hand her some money and said it would be their little secret.”
The matter was reported to managers at the care group and an investigation began. Meanwhile, Thornton, from Leeds, had taken out a £4,000 loan in the name of another staff member, while also rifling through the victim’s account. Ms Muir said:
“It became clear that (Thornton) had assisted (the victim) in setting up online banking, but also she could access (the victim’s) bank account through her mobile. On one occasion, (the victim’s) bank card was declined because no funds were left in that account.”
The distraught victim went to Thornton for help, not realising it was she who was stealing the money.
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The investigation revealed that between April 2019 and the end of January 2020, Thornton transferred £33,525 from the victim’s bank account to her own.
Ms Muir added that Thornton had paid back just under £15,000 to the victim between May and December 2019.
‘I trusted her’
Following her arrest, Thornton made a full admission to police and said she had “lost track of how much money she had taken”.
She pleaded guilty to fraud and appeared for sentence today following delays to the court case.
In a statement read out in court, the victim said she was very upset and “disappointed” that the woman she trusted had defrauded her:
“I trusted her and thought she would do the right things for me. I was shocked. I had done some nice things for her.”
She said she was worried she wouldn’t be able to pay her bills and no longer trusted people.
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Adam Birkby, mitigating, said although she had “abused a position of trust”, Thornton was “overwhelmed” by debt at the time and had a serious gambling problem.
Thornton “foolishly” imagined she could repay the money to the victim through online gambling, but she “quickly became addicted”.
He said Thornton was “deeply ashamed” of her actions. She had lost her job and her home following her arrest, the relationship with her boyfriend had collapsed and she still had debts.
However, she had since beaten her gambling addiction and had found new work as a manager of a local business.
Suspended sentence
Judge Simon Hickey told Thornton she had “drained” the bank account of a “very vulnerable lady…who trusted you”.
He said it was clear that Thornton had become “trapped” in an “insidious and pernicious” online gambling addiction, was genuinely remorseful and had until the fraud been of “impeccable” character.
“Gambling is what has destroyed your life so far, but you have managed to address that.”
Mr Hickey said that because of the delay in the court case and strong personal mitigation he could suspend the inevitable jail sentence. The 22-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months.
Thornton was ordered to repay the victim the full £18,593 still outstanding and participate in a 35-day rehabilitation programme.
Harrogate’s ‘significant gambling issues’ made worse by covidA doctor who leads the NHS Northern Gambling Service has said that people in Harrogate suffer with significant gambling issues.
Matt Gaskell is based at the clinic in Leeds which opened in 2019. Since then he has seen people come to him with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
Some on benefits had lost out around £5,000 but others, who are on large salaries, have run up debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Dr Gaskell contacted the Stray Ferret to encourage people from the Harrogate area with gambling issues to come forward after seeing the problem made worse by coronavirus:
“More people need to know that we have this gambling addiction service on their doorsteps. We have specialist psychologists and therapists.
“As part of our service we can also speak to the family of those who have a gambling addiction.
“People come to us with mental health issues, lots of debts and broken-down relationships. But when work with them often clients have a good outcome.
“It is a hidden addiction which the government needs to treat like other addictions.”
Upcoming government gambling review
His comments came after his meeting with Gambling Commissioner Chris Philip. During the meeting they discussed an upcoming government review into gambling.
The government called for evidence in December 2020, which finished on March 31 2021. A white paper with restrictions on online gambling is expected late this year.
Dr Gaskell added:
“Online casinos and football betting are particular problems. Football has become a billboard for gambling, most can’t watch a game without considering a bet.
“We need a public health campaign in the same way that we have had with smoking and drinking. Often those who are addicted to gambling are at a higher risk of suicide compared to other addictions.
“Banks and gambling firms know exactly how much money people are spending and could stop them building up such debts.”
MPs ‘should not accept bribes’ from gambling firms
The Stray Ferret reported in August that local MP Nigel Adams accepted £6,000 worth of free hospitality tickets to England’s Euro 2020 games from gambling firms.
Mr Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, which includes some rural parts of the Harrogate district such as Spofforth and Follifoot, received tickets to three games at Wembley Stadium.
Seven Conservative MPs and two members of Labour opposition leader Keir Starmer’s front bench accepted hospitality tickets to games involving England.
More than most, it was difficult for Dr Gaskell to read that news. He said it was wrong for MPs to take money from gambling firms:
“I believe it is deeply concerning that MPs have taken money from gambling firms when that money has been made through those who have been harmed by it.
“Research shows that 60% of profits come from the 5% who have suffered most harm, I think questions need to be asked about this, it is effectively a bribe.”
The Stray Ferret has put Dr Gaskell’s comments to Nigel Adams MP. He has not replied by the time of publication.
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Do you or someone you know suffer with gambling addiction? Get help by calling the NHS Northern Gambling Service on 0300 300 1490 or send an email here.
Final race of season at Ripon Racecourse
For racegoers, the 2020 season at Ripon has been a non-starter, with the action on course staged behind closed doors.
Today the lockdown season comes to a close with a seven-race card.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down horseracing across the UK in March – a month before the course was due to hold its first meeting of the season.
When a curtailed calendar finally got underway on the evening of 20 June it, and all subsequent meetings, had to be held without racegoers present.
Before the coronavirus crisis dealt the horseracing industry a giant blow, Ripon’s garden course, in its 120th year at the Boroughbridge Road venue, was looking forward to a 17-meeting season.
Empty racegoer car parks tell their own story
In a normal year, the track attracts thousands of people through its gates – both local and from further afield – with the highlight of its calendar being the Great St Wilfrid Handicap in August.
As the season concludes with the 17.40 Lloyd Land Rover Ripon Apprentice Handicap, the public’s return to sporting events remains delayed, following announcements by the government.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), in a statement earlier this week, said that racecourses across the UK are facing a loss in revenue of between £250 million and £300 million this year, adding:
“Our industry is now facing a severe threat. We are the second most attended spectator sport in the country. Without the millions of people who normally enjoy a day at the races, many people’s jobs are at serious risk, as are the businesses they work in.
“We have kept the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments updated on the financial impact of COVID and the effects on the rural economies in which so many of our racing staff live and work.”
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Before the first behind-closed-doors meeting in June, clerk of the course and managing director of Ripon Racecourse Company, James Hutchinson told the Stray Ferret:
“There’s no point in looking back at what didn’t happen, we’d rather look forward and hope that it won’t be long before we can open our gates to racegoers once more.”
With the next season seven months away, all involved with running the course, are hoping the roar of the Ripon crowd will be heard yet again in 2021.