{"id":563959,"date":"2025-11-11T16:55:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T16:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/563959\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T16:55:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T16:55:12","slug":"24-hour-bingo-hall-joins-8-other-betting-shops-in-anti-social-behaviour-hotspot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/563959\/","title":{"rendered":"24-hour bingo hall joins 8 other betting shops in anti-social behaviour hotspot"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 24-hour bingo and slots hall has sparked frustration among Shepherd\u2019s Bush residents after becoming the ninth gambling venue in the area.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shipley\u2019s Bingo and Slots opened in September in the west London suburb, which was named by the Metropolitan Police<\/a> as an anti-social behaviour hotspot.<\/p>\n

Residents are campaigning for the closure of such venues through groups like Fix Uxbridge Road W12, which focuses on community issues.<\/p>\n

Katta Kost, a Shepherd\u2019s Bush resident and member of the group, said: \u201cIt is really not fair on the people. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe local council is promoting a nightlife economy, but it\u2019s a nightlife economy that is not suitable to the residents who live in the area.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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This group are campaigning for the venue to be shut down or for the hours to be significantly reduced, arguing that there is no need for it \u2013 especially with a Merkur Slots being opposite on the other side of the green.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additionally, nearly 30% of the borough\u2019s gambling venues<\/a> are on Uxbridge Road.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"There are many betting shops in Shepherd\u2019s Bush. Credit: Grace Crowley<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s petition<\/a> to take urgent action to clean up and restore Shepherd\u2019s Bush got 2,915 signatures, the highest in Hammersmith and Fulham\u2019s history, and led to a cabinet hearing in September.<\/p>\n

When questioned about action against the venue, Hammersmith and Fulham Councillor Stephen Cowen said: \u201cWe don\u2019t legally have the ability to close them [gambling shops].<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we could close these things down, we would.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kost believes, however, that action against these places could have been taken before the licencing permission was given.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no real thought or concern for residents or the nature or the identity of the high street that is going into the council\u2019s decisions,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\"ThisD\u00e9j\u00e0 vu? This Merkur Slots branch can be seen from the window of Shipley\u2019s. Credit: Grace Crowley<\/p>\n

Support for the closure of such places has been wide-spread across the borough.<\/p>\n

Founder of another residents group, Friends of Shepherd\u2019s Bush Green, Jonathan Pearl said: \u201cIt is a very sad indictment of our society that we even need to have places like that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are plenty of places to gamble online and there are plenty of betting shops on the green.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there really any need for such a massive 24-hour facility for people to ruin their own lives?\u201d<\/p>\n

These groups are calling on supporters to contact their council and the Gambling Commission to make change in their area.<\/p>\n

Shipley\u2019s Bingo and Slots has been approached for comment. <\/p>\n

Featured image credit: Grace Crowley<\/p>\n