In the eighteenth century the city of Bath in Somerset became a fashionable place to see and be seen. Wealthy visitors went walking, horse riding and horse racing. There were plenty of balls and gambling to occupy the evenings and the famous Bath spa waters, known since before Roman times, were liberally drunk and bathed in for their therapeutic properties. Bath remains a city still popular with tourists for its Georgian architecture and historic buildings.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, Bath and North East Somerset Council were granted permission to issue a premises licence for a small casino. An invitation to apply for the licence was advertised in October 2010 with a closing date of 28 February 2011 and the Council has reported receiving four applications. The popularity of Bath and perhaps its gambling history has made it attractive to investors. In Hull a large casino licence has gone to the one applicant and in Scarborough the small casino licence there, with just two applicants, is facing litigation.

Apollo Resorts & Leisure Ltd is one of the four Bath licence contenders – the company has been awarded the Hull licence, is fighting to keep in the selection process in Scarborough and has applied for the large casino licence in the London Borough of Newham. According to the Council, Apollo plans a seven storey development (including lower ground floor) at the Walcot Street Cattle Market Car Park, Walcot Street, Bath. This is bordered by Walcot Street to the west, the river Avon the east and the Hilton Hotel to the south.

The project from Gala Casinos Limited, with the same location, is for a Ground Mezzanine & Lower Ground Floor (with entrance from a new piazza off Walcot Street) of a proposed development on land currently known as Walcot Street Cattle Market Car Park, Walcot Street, Bath.

Grosvenor Casinos Limited has plans for the existing car park bounded by Manvers Street to the west, walkway adjacent to the Police Station to the south and South Parade to the north, Bath.

The consortium Great Eastern Quays Casino Limited, which also applied for the Newham licence, has chosen the former Sawclose Clinic and Gala Bingo Hall in Sawclose, Bath.

The applications will now be put before the Council’s Licensing (Gambling and Licensing) Sub-Committee in June for determination at Stage One. All the applications are for sites identified in the Council’s original bidding process. As the property owner, the Council has had no discussion with any applicant over the use of these sites for a casino. Any proposal would also be subject to the full planning application process - this is separate to the licensing application process. After Stage One successful applicants will be invited to apply for Stage Two where the competing bids will be evaluated for the best benefit for the area. This evaluation will be conducted by an independent panel backed-up with technical advisors with specialist knowledge in the field of casinos and gaming. (E-03.04.11)

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