Winners And Losers After Decisions On UK Casinos

The owners of a UK casino earmarked for Aberdeen looked to be quids in yesterday but the chips were down for another company hoping to move to the city centre.

As the multimillion-pound City Wharf leisure and shopping centre in Aberdeen took a step closer to becoming reality, the International Casino's plans to move to the city centre took a major blow.

Developers Kenmore have been granted a provisional entertainment licence by the council for a potential casino as part of their £15million project at Shiprow.

The owners of the would-be rival International Casino, who hope to move from Queens Road to a Grade B listed building in Market Street near the harbour, had applied for a gaming licence.

Aberdeen City Council's Licensing Board yesterday rejected their application, however.

At the same meeting councillors granted the provisional licence at the City Wharf development planned at nearby Shiprow.

Kenmore, based in Edinburgh, plan to develop the buildings adjoining the NCP car park in Exchequer Row, Shiprow and along Virginia Street.

The provisional licence granted yesterday is for a 5,656sqft part of the development earmarked for a casino featuring a gaming area, lounge bar and restaurant.

Earlier this week, the developers warned they would have to scrap the entire project if councillors turn down a gaming licence application from Grosvenor Casinos when it is considered in January.

Mark Wynn, Kenmore's project manager, said: "We are obviously delighted to have got this licence because it's the first step towards the January stage. We are hopeful but it's really in the hands of the licensing board."

The full plans, which have been redesigned three times, feature a 107-bedroom Ibis Hotel, bar and entertainment units, 20,000sqft of retail space and 30,000sqft of office accommodation.

The Shiprow buildings at the heart of the Kenmore scheme have been empty since the collapse of What Every Woman Wants and Poundstretcher two years ago.

The project is expected to create 400 full-time jobs and 60 part-time posts, with about 100 more jobs during the 18-month construction period.

Work will begin in February if the licensing board grants the UK casino a licence.

Meanwhile, the owners of the International Casino were left shocked after a gaming licence for new premises in Market Street was rejected.

They are now planning to lodge an appeal against the refusal at the sheriff court.

The company won planning permission for the new venue earlier this year, after a successful appeal to the Scottish Executive to overturn the council's refusal.

It was granted a provisional entertainment licence in the summer but still needed a gaming licence.

The company's solicitor, Laurence Tough, warned members - who had previously visited the site - that it would be unfair and unlawful to reject the application on the same grounds that the planning application was initially refused.

Mr Tough said that the plans would result in the preservation of the listed building on Market Street which has been empty for several years.

He added that there would be no more gambling tables than are currently allowed at the Queens Road building and that no objections or concerns had been raised by neighbouring businesses or residents.

At more than 9,500sqft the new building would also be able to provide legally required access for disabled people, something that the 7,200sqft Queens Road building cannot.

After 35 minutes of discussions in private the board voted by five members to three against the application.

The casino's owners are planning to appeal the decision.

Speaking after the meeting, George Stewart, a director of the International Casino, said: "We were optimistic, we thought it was a reasonable application.

"We are very disappointed and our members will be disappointed. We will be looking at the grounds for rejection in detail before we make our appeal."