Casino's 24/7 Opening Rejection A 'Little Victory'

18 March 2026
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Pritti MistryEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire


The daddy of a guy who took his own life after ending up being addicted to gambling has called the rejection of a 24-hour wagering shop in Spalding a "small triumph that will ripple throughout other communities".


Merkur Slots lost its preparation appeal to open 24 hr a day at its Hall Place venue last week.


Dismissing the operator's appeal, the Planning Inspectorate stated it discovered "damage in respect of the impact on the living conditions of neighbouring residents" and there was "restricted benefits of the proposition".


Charles Ritchie, who established nationwide charity with Lives with his spouse Liz after their boy Jack's death in 2017, welcomed the choice and said the "tide is turning against" big casino firms.


In July 2022, Merkur Slots was approved authorization to run from 07:00 to midnight Mondays to Saturdays and 10:00 to midnight on Sundays.


But the business desired to remove those limitations and defended the rights to stay open all hours.


Planners declined the bid on March 12, stating a 24-hour operation would negatively impact neighbouring residents with regard to "noise and disturbance".


Ritchie said it was "excellent news for Spalding" and he was pleased viewpoints by residents had actually been acted upon.


"Up until recently, there's been a sort of feeling of despair. You can't do anything.


"So I think this is a little triumph, but it is a message and it is something that does have ripples across other neighborhoods."


Merkur Slots has actually been approached for remark.


The Ritchie family, from Sheffield, have actually been campaigning for betting market reform because the Hull University graduate eliminated himself while battling a betting dependency.


In 2022, the coroner ruled the 24-year-old instructor had actually been stopped working by "woefully insufficient" cautions and treatments.


His moms and dads have long argued that gambling-related suicide is directly linked to addicting wagering products and the industry's "predatory" marketing practices.


If you have actually been impacted by any of the problems raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line.


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