I attended the “betting on Scarborough” meeting tonight with my brother Richard at the Royal Hotel, one of Scarborough's other historic hotels. This was about Scarboroughs attempt to get a license for a reginal small casino with a gamming floor the size of a football pitch (Small?)
The meeting was interesting after all the important people had said their bit, there were some very important people there; CEO's of Scarborough Borough Council (sbc), North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), and Yorkshire Forward (YF) a local charater wanted to have his say!.
Don Robinson (aka a local character) moved to the from and spoke from the podium and said a bigger casino was not viable in the area, and A64 widening was most important, A director from the local exisitng casino said that a new casino would force them to close (Similar to what happened to an other exisitng casino that was open and trading just before they opened up their new casino at the old Royal Opera House site.) Mind you this resoning is fairly mute as the we could use the same reasoning for a new hotel or accommodation provider opening up in the town! Others had minor objections to the lack of public consultation on the issue?
Council officers seemed bemused and a degree embarrassed somewhat, and the whole thing sort of “fell apart” though no blame should be attached to the participants or organisers, I wonder what the CEO's of SBC, NYCC and YF thought!?
The casino regulators do not make a decision until December, interesting that the final plans for sands are not submitted until December, though this site is probably the best place to put a casino anyway!
The council officers seemed very confident that they are going to get a license for a gaming floor the size of a football pitch! I think the behaviour of the few have strengthened the resolve of the officers to “go for it!” Though in the headdy hights of council politics you never really know what the big game plan is, and tonight was a classic example!
Any way the food and service at the Royal Hotel on this occasion was very good.
Interesting that non of the excitement on the night was reported in the evening news; our local rag!
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