Thetford gambling arcade plans put forward for former bank building

Plans have been lodged to convert a former bank in Thetford into a gambling arcade.

The former HSBC bank at 36 King Street, which has been closed since December 2020, would be transformed to become the new arcade.

It would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In a statement, the applicant’s agent says the proposed new use for the shop space would create eight new jobs and increase footfall into the town centre.

They stress that the arcade, described in the planning papers as an “adult gaming centre (AGC)” would be very different to a betting shop, and would not have any fixed-odds betting terminals.

The agent states: “The machines offer low stakes – the average stake from customers is 30-40 pence.

“As such, AGCs tend to be venues for customers to relax and the customer base reflects this.

“A large proportion of customers are female, with many people attending as couples.”

Breckland Council is due to issue a decision on the proposal by April 26.