Magistrates in Bournemouth have refused an application by developer Waterimage Ltd for a casino licence for the former ice rink in Westover Road owned by Luminar Leisure. An £8.5 million casino had been planned in the continental style with cabaret and fine dining, a plan fully supported by local businesses in a bid to revitalise the area. The building already holds a venue licence for up to 2,200 people and Luminar may turn it into a nightclub but intends to rethink its options.

The Magistrates decided that there was no demand for another casino as the existing Gala and Stanley casinos in the town were seldom full and Bournemouth Council is backing a casino project for the £65 million Pavilion development where Aspers already holds a casino licence. A Luminar spokesman said the company was bitterly disappointed as its proposed casino was unique and entirely different from the old style casinos.

Both Gala and Stanley had objected to the casino project, which was to have been developed in partnership with rival French gaming operator Lucien Barriere. A lack of market research was another point raised by the Magistrates in their refusal to grant a casino licence. Bournemouth missed out on a new casino licence under the Gambling Act 2005, and the Aspers casino must now be developed under the old law that only permits 20 gaming machines. (E-02.12.08)

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