The closing date for submitting written evidence
passed on May 31.
You can read some of the responses that we received below:
I worked for casinos on the gaming floor for 16 years. Without any
doubt whatsoever, a casino in Newham will simply make a poor area
much poorer. It will only make a few wealthy people more wealthy
(owners). More casinos are a very bad idea and are another way for
people to risk their livelihoods. A great idea however for a money
grabbing government. Easy money for the tax man. I am obviously
cynical but I have seen far too many "haves" become "have
nots"!!!
I am totally against gambling, it destroys peoples lives. There is
a lot of crime in Beckton already and the casino will add to this.
So I am against the casino.
The casino, despite it bringing physical and economic advantages,
is bad news in the long term. I am categorically against it in any
way or form.
I think this project is there for making their own business, not
to help the local community. Any business park can be developed
without a casino as well. Maybe gambling is good for some people
but bad for more people. Gambling can bring rich people in to spend
their money but in other ways it can promote antisocial behaviour
in the town. Any drugs network can be developed within the
community. The short view is to say don't allow this is my
town.
I probably would not visit a casino. If a casino was part of a
bigger entertainment complex, with bars, restaurants and a music
venue, I would support that. It should be located away from
residential areas.
We have enough gambling establishments in Newham. Betting shops
and bingo halls have so many one-armed bandits and roulette
machines, we do not need any more. A casino will only attract more
underworld crooks. (We have enough of those already). Prostitution
and drug addicts are already rife in this area. We do not need any
more.
I am writing with regards requesting a Casino to be built in the
area. Firstly I cannot believe anyone could have even thought of
such a ridiculous idea. … We already have bookmakers, an arcade, a
bingo (there was two, one of which closed - that tells you
something) and a cinema which shows only Indian films. The money
should be spent regenerating the High Street; bringing character
and pride back into the area, building a new shopping centre which
will also provide many new jobs with decent shops, restaurants, as
they have in Ilford or Stratford or Romford. … In my strong opinion
we do not need a casino but an exciting indoor shopping centre that
people can use and relax in much like the areas I have mentioned
above. Until this happens the High Street is a lost cause. Many of
my colleagues from this area feel the same. I SAY NO NO NO!
I read with interest the article in The Newham Magazine about the
possible introduction of a casino in Newham. I am glad that people
can voice their views before the Mayor makes a decision.
Having lived in Newham for the last two years, and seen the
poverty shown by the number of Cash Converter shops, betting shops,
queues outside citizens advice bureaus, debt recovery agencies and
the like, I feel strongly that a casino would only add to the
affliction of the vulnerable, and the potential benefits are not
worth the reality for Newham's poor.
Therefore, I encourage the Mayor and the Advisory Commission, to
stand against the opening of the casino. I believe I have a
responsibility to speak out with the poor and needy, the vulnerable
and oppressed, and that I owe it to them to resist the introduction
of another building given over to gambling.
I would just like to say that building a casino is a bad idea.
There are much more crucial matters to deal with such as a better
structured education system in the borough for the children,
discipline, teenage pregnancy, housing and employment. Building a
casino is only encouraging more crime in the area which is already
a pressing issue. I hope the argument for a casino is not to
increase employment and bring in revenue into the community because
there are much better ways to bring in revenue and employment into
the community without bringing moral decline. Thank you.
We do not want a casino in Newham. We have been here 15 years and
are embedded in East Ham especially through my employment, church
and significant contributions to our local community centre over
the last eight years. I know that a casino will increase the
gambling on the slot machines among people in this area as it is
seen as another opportunity to make some easy money but slot
machines are weighted for the casino owners. The lack of skill
needed for playing slot machines worries me that the addictive
dynamic is so easily accessed for people who are my neighbours and
take them further into moneys problems. The profits will leave the
borough and go to the casino HQ and its shareholders.
I vote no to this proposal. There are adequate problems in the
borough without inviting extra.
I am totally against any size of casino in Newham or anywhere else.
A friend of mine has a friend who is addicted to gambling. He
steals from anyone and on more than one occasion to feed his
addiction and he is in debt. I can't remember statistics but I know
that individual debt in this country is enormous. We should not
encourage more debt by providing casinos. It only takes one step
for some people to be addicted. It ruins individual and family
lives. This in turn affects society in general. In addition it will
mean more work for the already overloaded NHS.
As for the arguments for a casino in Newham that it will provide
more jobs and money coming into the borough, surely 2012 Olympics
games will do that as well as providing more leisure
facilities.
I feel that the borough of Newham has deteriorated so much over the
years I would not like to see a casino in Newham. All the
facilities are overstretched already. The roads, trains and buses
are all overcrowded.
Dear Sir or Madam: I am 58 years old, I have lived in and around
this area all my life. I have lived down my road for nearly 26
years and it used to be a nice area. But the area has been on a
downward decline for some time and I do believe having a large
casino will not do the area any good, can see there being more
problems than enough. I think the crime rate will go up. But what
do I know. I do know the area I live in has gone downhill and there
is no big casino here.
We feel that a
casino in Newham would not be a suitable recreation for the
residents and would result in noise and disruption; not only at
night - but day time too. We have far too much traffic now. Please
give the whole idea serious consideration.
Many Newham residents are on the minimum wage and a large
percentage of them are on the poverty line, yet with a casino to
hand many will be tempted to participate in gambling. Gambling away
the housekeeping money. Gambling causes friction and even violence
within a marriage and the domestic violence statistics (already
high) will become greater. I don't think the profits from the
casino will be placed back into the community, but probably will be
used to construct another leisure activity or even a second casino.
The noise at 12, 1am, 2am will be appalling and only cause stress
and unhappiness for its neighbours. I'm pretty certain that the
residents of Newham cannot afford a casino. There are so many other
monetary concerns and needs in the borough before this waste of
money. The borough is already under privileged meaning not much
money around. Where the money to gamble coming from?
I have to say that whilst I think the casino would be a successful
leisure asset badly needed in the Newham area, in all probability
the potential benefits may not be as great as anticipated. Again
with a little research at existing casino sites I think you may
find that few jobs will be created for Newham people and that
possibly little money will be generated to fund community projects.
Turnover of the casino will be small in relative terms and I
suspect little extra money will find its way into the borough. In
conclusion, I am in favour of the casino but I think that it is
essential for whoever makes the final decision to have access to a
validity check of the potential benefits and disadvantages from
existing casinos in different parts of the country.
A casino in Newham would lead to gambling and eventually to crime.
This borough needs to be uplifted not downgraded. Lets have a
return to former days and some decent shops. This used to be a
lovely borough. Also - could cause trouble at night.
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