Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A rejected plan for a 24-hour gambling centre in Hanwell is heading to the Secretary of State after Ealing Council refused the application in August 2025.
Before the council rejected Pure Gaming Limited’s proposal for 153 to 155 Uxbridge Road, close to the Hanwell Clock Tower, it had already caused a great deal of public outrage. The appeal has sparked new calls for community action and resurrected local opposition.
On August 29, 2025, Ealing Council rejected the offer in response to a thorough planning report that expressed concerns about the implicit goods of a 24- hour gambling venue on Hanwell’s city center’s character.
Officers noted that a late- night venue could cause increased noise, disturbance, and anti-social behavior, and set up that the operation ran the threat of generating an inordinate attention of gambling establishments in the neighborhood. According to the council, this would negatively impact the high road’s viability and vitality.
The former Barclays Bank, which was more recently converted into a Domino’s Pizza and is located adjacent to the clock tower, is the structure at the heart of the plan. As part of its regular business plan, Pure Gaming Limited stated that the facility would be open 24/7.
A significant community reaction was sparked by the initial application. During the consultation period, there were 1,971 objections to the nearly 2,000 submissions, only five of which were in favor and two of which were neutral.
The numbers, according to campaigners, showed strong local opposition. Concerns regarding anti-social behavior, the peril to vulnerable individualities, and the possibility of late- night dislocation were raised by multitudinous locals.
A 24- hour gambling establishment, according to protesters, would undermine the neighborhood’s charm, degrade the high road, and encourage anti-social behavior.
The contest is evocative of 2007, when plans to turn a former bakery at 120 Uxbridge Road into an adult gaming center were rejected by Ealing Council. Later on, a coffee shop was erected on that position.
One resident objecting to the application posted on the planning application portal:
“This proposal is not in keeping with the needs and wants of a very family-focused community, notably with so many schools in the vicinity. The area is already marred by antisocial behaviour. We should be encouraging family-friendly establishments that uplift the whole community.”
Another said:
“The area in Hanwell is already suffering from drug users and drinkers who congregate around the clock tower. This kind of establishment would only make it worse. There are many small businesses nearby that support families — placing a gambling venue in the middle of that is completely irresponsible.”
A property with a problematic past was included in the most current plan. It was a Barclays bank for many years before becoming a Domino’s Pizza. Puree Gourmet Limited’s tenancy was terminated by a forfeiture notice issued by bailiffs in April after a proposal to relaunch the Grand Pasha restaurant failed earlier this year.
The agents who filed the application on behalf of Pure Gaming Limited, Brown & Co., have been approached for comment.
What grounds are cited in the council decision to refuse the application?
Ealing Council refused the Hanwell 24- hour gambling centre operation primarily on the grounds of overconcentration and clustering of gambling demesne in the city centre. The decision cited enterprises that the proposed gaming hall would harm the vitality and character of Hanwell Town Centre by bringing an inordinate number of analogous establishments to the area.
The negative impact on the city centre’s heritage and development plan pretensions, which prioritize artistic, community, and independent rest businesses. Public and councillor expostulations stressing that such a venue would not align with the vision for a balanced, family-friendly city centre environment.
These grounds reflect the council’s view that the proposed 24/7 niche summerhouse would discord with programs aimed at guarding the social fabric and profitable health of the town centre.
