A decision to allow a fifth betting shop to open on a single stretch of Bradford city centre has been branded a “shocker” by councillors, with claims that no other type of business would have been allowed to cluster in the same way.
Jenningsbet opened its doors on Broadway last September, completing a row of five gambling premises along a section of street that contains just six business units in total.
Bradford Council had originally refused permission to convert a former bar into the betting shop, warning that a concentration of gambling venues could harm vulnerable residents and worsen addiction risks.
But the operator appealed and a Government-appointed planning inspector overturned the decision last summer, clearing the way for the branch to open.
The refusal had initially been hailed as a win for the council’s public health team. Now, members have voiced frustration that their concerns were overruled.
Speaking at a recent meeting of the Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee, public health specialist Richard Porter described the appeal outcome as “disappointing for the district”, adding: “It shows what we’re up against.”
Councillor Brendan Stubbs (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) questioned what more could be done to prevent similar outcomes in future.
“We refused the application, but we’ve still ended up with five gambling establishments next to each other,” he said. “What have we done to make sure that next time a planning inspector supports the decision we’ve made?”
Liz Barry, from the council’s Public Health Department, acknowledged the challenge, saying stronger local evidence was needed.
“A lot of the data we rely on is national,” she said. “When making these decisions, it’s difficult to show the specific impact on Bradford because we don’t have detailed local data.”
She confirmed that new national funding is expected to help councils tackle gambling-related harm at a local level.
Conservative councillor Mike Pollard (Baildon) said he shared the concerns, adding: “It seems like planning law and common sense don’t coincide. The decision is a bit of a shocker.”
Committee chair Councillor Nazam Azam (Lab, City) said the clustering would likely have
been prevented if it involved other types of businesses.
“If there was going to be five of any other type of business in a row, it would be very easily stopped,” he said. “Having five units in a row doesn’t make sense for any other type of business.”
He also suggested that without stronger national intervention, local authorities would struggle to push back against similar developments in future.
The decision leaves one of Bradford’s busiest city centre streets dominated by gambling outlets, reigniting debate over planning powers, public health and the balance between business freedom and community wellbeing.
