Somerset Council Rejects Adult Gaming Centre Conversion in Bridgwater Town Centre
Petra Franke · Aug 24, 2026
Somerset Council Rejects Adult Gaming Centre Conversion in Bridgwater Town Centre
Somerset Council’s planning committee turned down an application to transform a former WH Smith shop in Bridgwater town centre into a 24-hour adult gaming centre that would house slot machines, and this decision came even though the Gambling Commission had already issued an operating licence for the site back in November 2025.
Details of the Planning Refusal
The refusal notice was dated 11 August and cited worries that the proposed venue could increase anti-social behaviour in the surrounding area, while the applicant, Godden Gaming Organisation, maintained that no data connects adult gaming centres to rises in such problems adn added that the project would generate new employment opportunities in the town.
Background on the Proposed Development
The site sits in the heart of Bridgwater and previously operated as a retail outlet for WH Smith before becoming vacant, and the new plan called for round-the-clock access to gaming machines under the adult gaming centre format that the Gambling Commission had already approved at the licensing stage, which means the regulatory body had reviewed the operator’s suitability and the premises’ compliance with national standards.
Godden Gaming Organisation put forward evidence during the planning process that showed other similar centres across the country had not produced measurable upticks in anti-social behaviour, and the company emphasised its intention to hire local staff for roles that would range from customer service to technical maintenance of the machines.
Key Concerns Raised by the Committee
Committee members focused on the potential impact on the town centre environment and noted existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the immediate vicinity, and they concluded that introducing a 24-hour facility could compound those issues even though the applicant had supplied statements arguing the opposite position with supporting references from other locations.
Observers who attended the meeting reported that the discussion lasted several hours and covered both the licensing history and the specific planning policy criteria that the council applies to such proposals, while representatives from Godden Gaming Organisation addressed questions about security measures and operating hours before the final vote was taken.
Position of the Applicant
Godden Gaming Organisation stated that the centre would operate under strict conditions set by the Gambling Commission and would include trained staff to manage the premises, and the company pointed out that the licence granted in November 2025 already incorporated safeguards designed to protect the public and prevent problem gambling.
The applicant also highlighted the economic benefits, including the creation of jobs in an area where retail vacancies have been a longstanding feature, and argued that the refusal overlooked the regulatory framework already in place at the national level.
Regulatory Context and Next Steps
The Gambling Commission oversees operating licences for adult gaming centres across the United Kingdom and grants them after assessing an operator’s financial stability, integrity and ability to meet social responsibility standards, yet planning permission remains a separate local authority process that can still block a project even when the national regulator has given approval.
Godden Gaming Organisation now faces the option of appealing the decision through the planning inspectorate or revising the proposal to address the specific concerns about anti-social behaviour, and either route would require further submissions that demonstrate how the centre could operate without adding to existing local issues.
Conclusion
The refusal issued on 11 August marks the latest stage in the application by Godden Gaming Organisation to open a 24-hour adult gaming centre in the former WH Smith premises, and the outcome reflects the council’s assessment that anti-social behaviour risks outweighed the arguments presented about job creation and the absence of supporting evidence for increased problems at similar sites, while the Gambling Commission licence from November 2025 remains valid but cannot override the local planning decision.