Hackney calls for support against blight of bookies

Hackney Council has launched a new phase in its campaign against the wave of betting shops blighting its high streets and cynically targeting its most vulnerable communities.

It has made a submission to government under the Sustainable Communities Act asking that councils be given genuine control over when and where bookies can open.

Its submission has received cross-party support from boroughs across London and 35 councils outside the capital.

The Council is also calling on residents nationwide to sign an online petition to Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles to demonstrate the weight of public opinion against the current betting shop free-for-all. 

Something needs to be done to stop betting shops cynically targeting deprived communities. Many act like financial vampires feeding off vulnerable people, fuelling addictions and other problems and adding to the difficulties of already hard-pressed families. “They’re also sapping the vibrancy and variety from our high streets, and squeeze out potential local enterprises which could use the premises for something positive and constructive. “Our latest campaign is not about banning betting shops. We acknowledge responsible and well-run businesses have a right to trade, but we need the tools so we can strike the right balance. “The Government says it supports localism and the ideal of local people shaping their communities. Hackney is therefore asking for change on betting shops to allow this, a change recommended by the Government’s own high streets tsar and supported by a wealth of other research and reports. “We’re hoping this campaign will convince government that there is overwhelming weight of opinion from councils and the communities they serve, and to give local people a genuine say on what opens in their high streets. The more people who sign up to our campaign, the better we can make our case for change.

Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney