Clocktower Slot Casino Faces Huge Opposition
Over 1,000 residents object to proposal for 24/7 operation
Left: The location of the proposed arcade. Picture: Google Streetvew. Right: A visualisation of the arcade from planning documentation
July 28, 2025
A proposal to convert a vacant unit on Uxbridge Road into a 24-hour gaming arcade has sparked significant community backlash, prompting a rally scheduled for Wednesday evening (30 July) at the Hanwell Clocktower.
Pure Gaming Limited has submitted a planning application (252255FUL) to transform the site of the former Domino’s Pizza—153–155 Uxbridge Road—into a bingo hall operating around the clock. The facility would offer gaming machines for bingo and other entertainment. The applicant argues that the proposal aligns with both the London Plan and Ealing’s Development Management DPD, citing its location in a designated town centre area and its potential contribution to the night-time economy. According to submitted documents, the venue would create 14 jobs—10 full-time and 4 part-time—and follows similar permissions granted elsewhere in London.
However, critics of the application contend that the proposal constitutes a slot-based adult gaming centre (AGC) rather than a traditional bingo hall. They point to documentation within the application that openly details the presence of 24-hour slot machines, suggesting this framing may be intended to reduce public scrutiny and opposition.
Concerns also centre on potential conflicts with the Hanwell Town Development Plan (2024), which sets out a vision for the District Centre as a hub for cultural, community and independent leisure businesses. Policy H2 in the plan calls for heritage-led regeneration and diversification of evening-friendly uses. Opponents argue that a slot arcade would undermine these goals by introducing a high-intensity gambling venue in a heritage-sensitive area.
All three local ward councillors have submitted formal objections to the application. Despite this, they express frustration with what they view as limited local authority powers over gambling-related planning decisions. Under current regulations, councils are required to “aim to permit” such developments, even in the face of widespread community objection. At the time of writing there were over 1,100 comments on the council web site about the application nearly all of which were objections.
The Hanwell protest coincides with growing national scrutiny over the proliferation of adult gaming centres on high streets, particularly in areas of deprivation. In Parliament, Dawn Butler MP has called for reforms to the licensing system and increased local power to reject proposals deemed harmful to communities. Campaigners have cited concerns around gambling addiction and the density of slot arcades in urban centres.
The proliferation of high‑street gaming venues has become a national issue. Revenues from arcades are reported to have surged to £623 million in the year to March 2024, with regulatory loopholes allowing operators to open 24/7 AGCs in deprived areas.
The rally will be held at Hanwell Clocktower at 6:00 pm, where ward councillors, community leaders, and residents are expected to speak. Organisers hope to draw attention to planning law limitations, preservation of local character, and broader national concerns over gambling policy.
The planning application remains under review by Ealing Council.
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