Walk down any struggling high street and the same question tends to surface. What should replace the empty units left behind by departing retailers? In some English towns, the proposed answer, a 24-hour adult gaming centre, has proven deeply divisive.
Operators describe these venues as regulated, staff-supervised and alcohol-free leisure spaces that function within clear national rules. Yet in communities such as Bridgwater and Whitby, councillors and residents have raised concerns about anti-social behaviour, late-night footfall and the broader impact of adding another gambling premises to town centres already under pressure. At the heart of the debate lies a familiar tension between local sentiment and national gambling and planning law.
What Exactly Is a 24-Hour Adult Gaming Centre?
Adult gaming centres, or AGCs, are licensed premises that mainly offer Category C slot machines. Under regulations set by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, these machines have a maximum stake of £2 and a maximum prize of £500.
AGCs differ from traditional betting shops. They do not focus on over-the-counter sports wagers but on individual gaming machines within a supervised environment. There is no blanket legal restriction preventing 24-hour opening, although each premises must meet local licensing conditions.
All venues must operate in line with the Gambling Act 2005. This means upholding the core licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, ensuring gambling is fair and open, and protecting children and vulnerable people from harm. While the legal framework is nationally defined, decisions about individual premises often play out at the local level.
Notable Concerns in Bridgewater
In Bridgwater, Somerset, an application has been submitted to convert a former WH Smith store into a 24-hour AGC. The property has stood empty since September 2024, when the retailer’s lease expired.
Members of the town council’s planning committee have expressed concerns about existing anti-social behaviour in the area and questioned whether a round-the-clock gambling venue would support regeneration efforts. Some residents argue that introducing another gambling premises could alter the character of the town centre.
Others acknowledge the economic argument. The proposal includes the creation of eight jobs, seven of them full-time, and would bring a vacant commercial unit back into use. For some, that is preferable to leaving the site empty amid ongoing retail challenges.
Public consultation has invited local feedback to measure better the strength of feeling on both sides. Will that be enough though?
The Whitby Case
A comparable situation unfolded in Whitby. More than 500 objections were submitted in response to plans for a 24-hour AGC in a former Halifax bank building. The proposal was initially rejected but later approved by a government inspector on appeal.
The inspector concluded there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the venue would cause crime, disorder or significant harm to the area’s character. The operator has indicated plans to invest £500,000 in refurbishing the property and to create 12 full-time jobs.
This is proof that even where local opposition is strong, national planning and gambling legislation can ultimately determine the outcome if licensing objectives are judged to have been satisfied.
