London council rejects Admiral Casino’s bid for 24-hour gambling operation

The Kensington and Chelsea Council has denied an application by Admiral Casino to operate a 24-hour gambling venue on Earl’s Court Road, following local opposition citing concerns over noise and community impact.

Council members voted unanimously to reject the proposal, citing potential disturbance to residents and the area’s vulnerability to the social effects of late-night gambling venues. Planning chair Councillor Sam Mackover said during the October 22 meeting: “It’s not just the activity itself, the area is particularly vulnerable to this sort of impact.”

Earl’s Court Councillor Tim Verboven abstained from the vote due to his public stance against the proposal. The application sought to remove a planning condition that limited Admiral Casino’s opening hours, which the company said was imposed “without any technical evidence.”

The decision maintains the current operational hours for the casino, owned by Luxury Leisure, and prevents the site from joining the small number of 24-hour venues in the area.

Residents and local organizations campaigned against the proposal, arguing that extended hours would change the neighborhood’s character and increase noise during late-night hours.

Earl’s Court Society chair Francesco Zibellini said: “Earl’s Court shops and homes are in very close proximity and its residents do not want any increase in noise, disturbance or degradation. Not even by a tiny bit because it’s with all these tiny bits that an area slowly changes, and in 10 years it will look like a mini Las Vegas.”

Councillor Linda Wade urged the council to prioritize community welfare, saying: “The mission of the council is to act and protect its residents. Your decision-making should clearly demonstrate that you’ve listened to residents. This is a time when the council should say no.”

Luxury Leisure, the parent company of Admiral Casino, presented a noise impact assessment stating that the proposed 24-hour operation would not lead to “any discernible loss” of residential amenity. The company’s agent noted that both the police and the council’s environmental health team raised no objections.

“This Section 73 application does not focus on the principle of Adult Gaming Centre use at the site. This was established over two years ago,” the representative said. “It focuses on the 24-hour operation of the site, which we had demonstrated is fully policy-compliant through the unchallenged, technical evidence presented.”

Jerry Wilcox, regional manager for Luxury Leisure, said the company was responding to customer demand for late-night access. He added that most patrons during overnight hours at similar venues are shift workers.

The Earl’s Court neighborhood is under a Public Space Protection Order addressing antisocial behavior. Metropolitan Police data show that antisocial behavior accounted for 30% of all reported crimes in the area over the past year, with 711 incidents, followed by 471 cases of violence and sexual offenses, or 20% of total reports.

Luxury Leisure has the option to appeal the council’s decision.