London Clubs Casino Group In West End Venture

UK casino group London Clubs International is to apply for a licence on Monday for a major new venue in West End, a casino industry source said.

"They've taken a lease on a large slug of The Empire in Leicester Square - everything but the cinema," said the source. "The hearing is solely for the gaming licence as they already have planning permission for a massive new development."

A London Clubs spokesman confirmed the company was making a new licence application on Monday, but declined to comment further.

Last week, London Clubs unveiled plans to expand existing casinos and launch four international-style leisure venues across the country, even as it revealed that big money winners had dealt it a 1.4 million pounds loss for the year.