The Licensing Sub-Committee of Barnet Council met to discuss an application for a new Adult Gaming Centre Licence for Palace Amusements at 4-6 North End Road, Golders Green. Despite objections from local residents, the sub-committee granted the licence, subject to mandatory conditions and additional conditions agreed with the police.

Palace Amusements Licensing Application

The sub-committee considered an application by East Kent Leasing Limited for a new Adult Gaming Centre Licence for Palace Amusements, 4-6 North End Road, Golders Green, NW11 7PL.

The application was made under Section 159 of the Gambling Act 2005, which provides the legal framework for gambling in the UK.

The Licensing Sub-Committee granted the application for a premises licence, subject to mandatory conditions and additional conditions agreed with the police. These conditions include:

• A notice displayed at all entrances stating that no person under the age of 18 years will be admitted.

• No direct access between the Adult Gaming Centre and any other licensed premises.

• Any ATM on the premises must be located in a place that requires customers to cease gambling to use it.

• The consumption of alcohol is prohibited, and a notice stating this must be displayed.

• CCTV installation to Home Office Guidance standards, with recordings kept for 31 days and made available to police and licensing officers.

• Operation of a Think 25 proof of age scheme[^1], with prominent signage displayed.

• Installation of a magnetic locking device (Maglock) on the main entrance/exit.

• Maintenance of a suitable intruder alarm with a panic button facility.

• Maintenance of an incident log, made available to authorities upon request.

  [^1]: The Think 25 policy requires staff to request identification from anyone who looks under 25 to verify they are over 18, the legal gambling age.

Objections

The council received 30 representations from local residents objecting to the application. Councillor Giulia Innocenti spoke on behalf of residents in her ward, and two further residents, one of whom was the joint head of the Neighbourhood Watch Team in the local area, also addressed the Sub-committee. The primary concerns raised were:

• Protection of Children and Vulnerable Persons: Residents expressed concerns about the proximity of the proposed gaming centre to schools, a major transport hub, and a halfway house, increasing the risk of exposure to gambling for children and vulnerable individuals.

• Crime and Disorder: Residents voiced fears that the gaming centre would attract criminal activity and exacerbate existing issues with drug use and anti-social behaviour in the area. One resident stated that they had personally witnessed drug dealing gang members hanging outside and entering gambling shops in the high street.

• Saturation of Gambling Establishments: Objectors argued that Golders Green already had a high concentration of gambling establishments, and another venue would be disproportionate and out of character with the town centre. Residents referred to Golders Green as Las Vegas of North London .

Applicant's Response

Woods Whur, representing the applicant, East Kent Leasing Ltd, highlighted the company's co-operation with the police in agreeing to proposed conditions. The applicant also submitted additional information, including a statement from Jeremy Godden of East Kent Leasing Ltd, a Local Area Risk Assessment, a Crime Analysis Report undertaken by Leveche, and a Social Responsibility Statement.

The applicant stated that they are an experienced licensee with an established family business of 10 AGC's and have never been the subject of a Licence review or had any regulatory issues raised by the Gambling Commission.

The applicant stated that the company would not permit under 18s into the premises, age verification checks are carried out as well as test purchases, and training and guidance is provided to staff on identifying and dealing with vulnerable people. They also stated that there is no counter in the AGC and staff are on the shop floor engaging with customers, enabling them to quickly identify anyone under 18 or vulnerable.

Sub-Committee's Decision

In its decision, the sub-committee stated that it had carefully considered all the relevant information, including the written and oral representations, the Gambling Act 2005, guidance issued by the Gambling Commission, the council's Statement of Principles 2024-2027, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

The sub-committee noted that there were no objections from the police, ward councillors, or any other responsible authority to the grant of the licence. It also acknowledged the applicant's experience and the proposed conditions, which addressed concerns about crime, disorder, and the protection of children and vulnerable persons.

The sub-committee referenced the Gambling Commission's guidance, which places a legal duty on licensing authorities to aim to permit gambling, so far as it is reasonably consistent with the pursuit of the licensing objectives.

The sub-committee concluded that the application, with the additional proposed conditions agreed by the police, was consistent with the matters set out in s.153 of the Gambling Act 2005 and approved the application.