Viva Las Esher?

Esher High Street has taken a step towards becoming Las Vegas after Elmbridge Council gave a bar in the town centre permission to start a casino in its premises, despite a “no casino” policy.

Jonathan Dunne, who owns the George in Esher High Street, wants to turn the basement of the bar, currently a restaurant, into a casino which could include betting tables, one-armed bandits and all the other trappings of a gambling den.

But in December 2006, the council passed a “no casino” resolution under the Gambling Act 2005.

As such, Mr Dunne faces one final and substantial hurdle, as he will have to apply for a licence to run the premises as a casino.

Joan Leifer, of Esher Residents’ Association, believed the casino, which would be in Esher’s conservation area, would be unpopular with residents living nearby and would be detrimental to the town centre.

She said: “Casinos are usually out of the main town centre, but this one would be right in the middle of it. You’re going to have people falling out of it at 2am - it’s just not what people want.”

However, the council defended its judgement and said planning decisions are unfettered by controls under the Gambling Act.

A spokesman for the council said: “It is an established principle that planning control should not seek to replicate controls under the Gambling Act and, as such, the factors influencing the grant or refusal of planning permission are often fundamentally different from the factors which may lawfully influence the grant or refusal of a licence under this act.

“In this case, the council has no planning policy which resists the provision of casinos. However, the applicant has been advised of the need for an appropriate licence under the Gambling Act and of the existence of the council’s resolution under the Gambling Act not to issue casino premises licences.”

Jonathan Dunne, who is also chairman of the Esher Business Guild, and recently said that he wanted to make Esher High Street more “sexy”, was unavailable for comment.

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