Bath Councillors Discuss Casino Benefits

Local authority discusses the potential benefits of opening a new gambling venue in Bath.

The local authority in Bath would consider licensing a new casino as a way of bringing more money into the city, it has been suggested.

Bath was one of eight UK locations given approval for a small casino by the government last year, but so far progress on the project has been slow, with some local groups objecting to the plans.

However, the issue was raised once again at a meeting of the Bath City Liaison Forum this week, the Bath Chronicle reports.

After a senior figure at Bath and North East Somerset Council warned of the likelihood of spending cuts, it was suggested that a casino could ease the pressure on the authority's budget in future years.

Council chief executive John Everitt suggested that a new gambling venue could have a similar impact to the Thermae Bath Spa, which opened in 2006 and is now one of the city's most popular attractions.

He told the newspaper: "The footfall in the shops increased and although there is no absolute evidence to say it is the spa, the opening dates speak for themselves.

"Some people believe we should have a casino for economic development purposes."

Featuring the only natural thermal waters in the UK, the spa was built with money supplied by the National Lottery-funded Millennium Commission.