West Northamptonshire Council has approved a proposal for a new casino to open inside a former bank in Daventry despite opposition from another local government and residents nearby in England.
According to the BBC, the plans were submitted by Dominic Rossookh, a former owner of Aspers Casino in Northampton. The casino would be located on the site of an old NatWest bank branch on Daventry High Street and be open 24 hours a day.
The proposal sets out plans to convert the ground floor into a gaming space. This would be mainly used to host poker and lower-stakes roulette, as well as slot machines.
The venue is also to feature a bar, dining facilities, a lounge and a seating area for watching live sports. Should the project proceed, it would create approximately 25 full-time and 20 part-time jobs.
Objection That New Casino Plan ‘Defies Logic’
Approval comes despite Daventry Town Council having objected to the plans. It previously warned of “potential effects on the health and well-being of vulnerable communities.”
Over 60 objections were submitted ahead of the West Northamptonshire Council meeting. Those opposed raised concerns over the casino being unsuitable for the town center and how it would promote gambling.
Among those against the proposed new casino was Mark Arnull, Reform UK leader of West Northamptonshire Council. He said: “It defies logic that you fund organizations to help gambling addiction but cannot stop the core problem [of too many gaming venues].”
The proposed venue is a two-story building that opened as a private bank in 1809. It became a NatWest location in 1970 but ceased operating as a bank in 2017.
