Leisure Giant Sees AGC Bid Refused Over Anti Social Behaviour Concerns

A bid to open a new Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) in Somerset has been thrown out by local councillors, despite a licence for the business being granted the previous year.

Leisure giant Godden Gaming Organisation, which is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), were seeking to convert a former WH Smith branch into an AGC. However, the plans were refused after concerns were raised over how a new gaming establishment would exacerbate anti-social behaviour.

Twist in the tale

Godden had set their sights on transforming the vacant shop, which has been closed since September 2024, into a gaming centre complete with slot machines. In their proposal, Godden had outlined their intentions to create up to nine jobs, of which seven would be part-time and the other two full-time.

Originally, Somerset Council’s licensing team greenlighted a premises license for the empty unit in November 2025, and there were no qualms raised at the time by Avon and Somerset Police. However, after Godden submitted bids in January and May this year, the council’s planning committee debated the proposal for an hour before flatly rejecting it.

Apart from expressing anti-social behaviour fears, Bridgwater Town Council argued there was “insufficient evidence” suggesting there was no longer demand for the premise as a retail unit. Godden, which operates more than 400 UK AGCs under the ‘Palace Amusements’ brand, contested suggestions that high-street gaming centres would lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

Sending out the wrong message

Reservations expressed about anti-social behaviour were forthcoming and shared across the Bridgwater Council team. Councillor Brian Smedley, whose Bridgwater South division included the proposed site, was vocal on the matter.

He said:

“There are two other sites like this close by, and there are also seven betting shops nearby as well. You kind of wonder what the point of going into the town centre is now when it used to be for retail.

“Just behind this site is a considerable residential area. People do suffer with a lot of the anti-social behaviour in the town centre. I’ve gone down the side streets at the request of retailers and found people using all sorts of substances.

“It’s not an area that we need to be making worse by sending out the wrong signals.”

AGCs in the spotlight

News of the decision to reject Godden’s proposal comes at a critical time for AGCs. Earlier this month, the UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, outlined his ambition to grant local authorities more powers in blocking the opening of new betting shops, vape shops, and similar outlets to safeguard flailing town centres.

Among his bold policy ideas is scrapping the ‘aim to permit’ procedure which currently restricts councils from approving new gaming venues. Moreover, Burnham has sought to tax AGCs more heavily, so as to fund 20% business cuts for those businesses in the hospitality industry, namely live music venues and pubs.

Added to that, retail betting companies, such as Betfred, are also exploring moves into the AGC sphere. Despite closing down 132 shops, Betfred sees AGCs as a solution, even though they could face greater obstacles to get the required planning permission to convert shops into AGCs.

Godden keeping tight-lipped

While Godden will have felt aggrieved by seeing their bid turned down, it is unclear at this stage whether they will appeal against the decision. Betting.co.uk approached Godden for comment, but they declined.