A former London nightclub and restaurant could soon be replaced with a two-storey casino.
The casino will cater for up to 1,250 customers and include a new restaurant at ground floor of the Trocadero building on Coventry Street, an application before Westminster City Council shows.
The restaurant will be separate to the casino and be open to punters and guests. The proposal, submitted by national casino operator Genting Casinos UK Ltd, includes a new shopfront and entrance on Coventry Street, replacing the souvenir shop and the Bestmart entrance.
There will be two new shopfronts along Rupert Street and new double-glazed windows along Lyons corner. This new unit would be connected internally by new stairs and lift, and with casino floorspace at basement, part ground and first floor level.
The Soho Society opposed the plans saying allowing another large, “alcohol-led” gambling venue in the area could lead to more antisocial behaviour. They said Coventry Street already struggles with pedestrian congestion, noise and litter and has an over-concentration of late-night venues.
Genting Casinos denies the venue will be alcohol-led. It said the casino would be “highly regulated and subject to an operational management plan”.
A new casino and restaurant could soon open inside the Trocadero building. A CGI of the view east along Coventry Street, London, UK. Credit: Leslie Jones/WCC. For use for all LDRS publications.
Westminster City planning officers said a new casino would not be harmful to the character and function of the area. They said historically, casinos are known to contribute little to disorder because they face a strict licensing regime.
They also said casinos do not attract large groups of “high-spirited or rowdy persons”. They added the venue would be replacing a former restaurant and a nightclub which ran to 3am.
They wrote: “Given the fact that the casino would replace a long-standing nightclub use, that it would be controlled by the Operational Management Plan and the strict legislation of the Gambling Acts, it is considered that the proposal is acceptable and would be consistent with the relevant policies in the City Plan.”
The site was previously occupied by Opium nightclub, which shut in 2019 after a clubber was shot twice outside the venue. The site was also formerly occupied by Bubba Gump restaurant.
Westminster City Council’s Planning Committee will meet Tuesday, September 30, to review the application.
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