Mecca withdraws plans for 24-hour Dagenham bingo hall

Mecca Bingo have rowed back on plans to have their Dagenham bingo hall operate 24 hours a day throughout the week.The plan being halted comes after news that Barking and Dagenham Council is considering implementing stricter gambling policies.Mecca’s argument for increasing its operating hours noted a heightened interest in ‘late-night bingo’ as well as citing McDonald's and The Gym Group operating 24/7 premises in the same London East Leisure Park.Current planning permission allows Mecca to operate its Dagenham location between 8am and 2am, with the operator stating there had been no complaints about their current hours.Read MoreAt the time, a planning statement said: “The premises has operated at this location continuously since 1996 and a 24-hour-a-day operating model is considered appropriate for the venue due to the evolving nature of the leisure and entertainment sector, particularly in urban locations where the applicant has seen a growing demand for flexible, late-night leisure facilities.”However, the planning application was withdrawn just three days after Barking and Dagenham Council revealed plans for a public consultation over changes to the council’s gambling licensing policies.The consultation ends on Monday, August 24. Senior Labour councillor Syed Ghani, responsible for licensing, said: “We want to ensure our Gambling Policy reflects the needs, experiences and priorities of local people.“As a council, we have a responsibility to support safe and well-regulated gambling whilst doing everything we can to protect residents, particularly children and vulnerable people, from gambling-related harm.”