By Former bank to be converted into adult gaming centre in Grimsby
North East Lincolnshire Council has approved an application to convert the former Royal Bank of Scotland building into an adult gaming centre in Grimsby.
There were hopes that the ground floor of the redundant building, located at the junction of Victoria Street and George Street, would be transformed into a restaurant, shop or small cinema.
The Leeds-based company Storey Group Ltd, which runs amusement centres in Leeds, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Sheffield, Oldham and Dewsbury, submitted the application to establish the adult gaming centre in Grimsby for over 18s back in December.
NELC’s Heritage Officer, Louise Jennings, stated in a report: “Any application to bring back into use any currently unused building within the conservation area is welcome, and there are no objections in principle to this application.
“There are no details on what signage is proposed and what the window displays would consist of. Further details of this should be conditioned to ensure that any of these external changes are sympathetic to the conservation.”
The application did not go before the council’s planning committee but was decided by a case officer. Their report states:
“There will be no physical alterations to the building, and it is considered that the new use will maintain the visual vitality of the area and indeed the character and appearance of the conservation area.”
However, not all members of the public are welcoming the conversion of the former RBS branch, which closed its doors in 2018.
One member of the public has written: “I object to the change of use application based on the number of adult gaming and gambling facilities already available within the top town and Freeman Street areas. There is already an adult gaming centre next door to the proposed property as well as an additional facility a short distance down Victoria Street. There are also betting shops and bingo halls very close by.
“I do not believe that an additional facility of this nature will add value to the local economy as the clientele is already adequately served by existing options,” he added.
The new gaming centre is set to bring eight full-time and two part-time jobs to local people.
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