A new £6 million Grosvenor Casino has opened in the English resort town of Southend-on-Sea with a policy that allows customers to enjoy its non-gaming offerings without having to sign up.
“Southend is our trial of going semi-open door,” a spokeswoman said. “For gaming, we ask people to register, to be a responsible operator.
The 27,000-square-foot venue opened as part of an extensive renovation of the 109-year-old, Grade II-listed Park Inn Palace Hotel. It offers a sports lounge and a restaurant and bar in addition to live and electronic table games and slots, a poker room and a private salon for high-stakes players.
Features also include instructional tables for beginners.
“We wanted to start as we mean to go on,” the spokeswoman said. “We want people to enjoy it. Only a small percent of people have ever been in a casino and everyone has their views on what it is like, but we view it as an entertainment venue.”
It is the third casino in Southend, which is on the Thames estuary in Essex about 40 miles east of London. Hundreds attended the opening, according to news reports, and local interests have welcomed the investment, hoping that it will attract other businesses to the retail and leisure space at the seafront Palace complex.
