Merkur Slots Deptford opening hours extension refused

Lewisham Council's licensing sub-committee rejected an application from Merkur Slots to stay open until 6am daily after a hearing on Wednesday, June 10.

The gambling venue in Deptford High Street currently operates between 9am and midnight, Sunday to Thursday, and between 9am and 2am on Fridays and Sundays.

But the proposed 21-hour opening times were met with seven objections from residents and councillors, fearing that "antisocial behaviour" would increase as a result.

One resident said: "My residential apartment is in a building directly opposite this Merkur Slots branch.

"Extending its operating hours will increase the number of night time disturbances in front of our building.

"As residents, we should not have to put up with additional shouting and antisocial behaviour from the customers who gamble at night."

The Deptford Society also opposed the plans, raising concerns that the longer opening hours will "significantly impact on living conditions for residents, preventing children from having adequate rest, and potentially impacting their learning and development".

Former councillor for the Deptford ward Rosie Parry argued that the proposal "risks intensifying existing pressures" in the area, such as deprivation, financial vulnerability and antisocial behaviour.

Ms Parry said: "Turning the shop into a near-24-hour gambling venue will increase opportunities for problematic gambling behaviour and associated disorder.

"This predatory expansion of operating hours will further normalise and make even more visible harmful gambling within our community; a risk that has been clearly identified."

Steve Ambrose, operations director for Merkur, submitted a statement before the meeting saying that customer numbers "remain relatively low" at Merkur sites in the early hours.

Mr Ambrose said: "In my professional experience, incidents of crime, anti-social behaviour, or public nuisance at Merkur Slots UK Limited venues are infrequent and tend to occur in isolation.

"While no venue operating in a public-facing environment can be entirely immune to such issues, these occurrences are rare on an individual premises basis and are not reflective of our typical operating standards or customer experience."

But the sub-committee concluded that due to the premises being located in an area of "high deprivation" the opening hours extension would "attract vulnerable people late at night and put them at greater risk of gambling-related harms".

Merkur Slots has been contacted for further comment.