Approval for casino plans

Tuesday 26th April 2011
Plans to transform Palace Bingo on Church Plain, Great Yarmouth, into a major casino have been backed by borough councillors.

Members of the development control committee approved Palatial Leisure’s plans to upgrade the centre with the potential for a further £25m investment to regenerate rundown areas around The Conge.

The initial work will create 50 new jobs but first the applicant will need to obtain a casino licence – in competition with plans already announced for a new casino on derelict land between the Pleasure Beach and outer harbour.

At the moment, the Palace casino is in a small separate area alongside the bingo hall, but walls will be knocked down to create the large casino which, according to Patrick Duffy, of Palatial Leisure, could be open by next February.

Mr Duffy was putting forward his plans ahead of the borough council’s May 17 deadline for the submission of large casino licence applications.

Albert Jones, boss of the resort’s Pleasure Beach, said he still aimed to persuade the council to plump for his futuristic-looking casino and leisure development –The Edge – near the outer harbour.

The two might be the only applicants in a two-stage process that will see the licence awarded in December or January. The council has to decide which scheme most benefits the town.

Mr Duffy said the advantage of his scheme was that his casino was already built.

Mr Jones already has planning permission for his casino scheme which would include a hotel, car parking, bowling, multiplex cinema, restaurants and bars.

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