Plans have been submitted to convert The Denmark Arms into a 24-hour Adult Gaming Centre. We believe this is wrong. We are committed to protecting this building and securing a better future for the community.

The Denmark Arms has served our community since 1871, more than just a pub it has hosted weddings, dance classes, kids parties and theatre. It is a Grade II listed building in the East Ham Civic Conservation Area, a building of architectural and historic significance.

Help protect our high street, our community, and our heritage. Sign this petition, then submit an objection to the planning applications.

Why it must be refused

The Denmark Arms sits at the gateway to East Ham’s High Street. This is one of the busiest pedestrian junctions in the area, used constantly by young people, families, and locals going about their daily lives. A 24-hour adult gaming centre at this location sets the wrong tone for our high street and normalises gambling.

Community safety

Thousands of people pass by daily on their way to Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, Newham College's East Ham campus, the East Ham Library, the leisure centre, and the tube station. There are five primary schools within half a mile.

Existing gambling venues on High Street North already cause groups to congregate outside, leading to antisocial behaviour and harassment. The police are often in attendance at these locations. Female residents have already changed their walking routes to avoid venues. A 24-hour venue at this prominent corner location will make this significantly worse.

Gambling is a local issue

There are already 11 gambling centres on High Street North. East Ham has been formally designated a Gambling Vulnerability Area by Newham's own policy - a recognition that this community already bears a disproportionate burden of gambling harm. A 24-hour gaming venue at this location would deepen existing harm, increase crime and antisocial behaviour, and expose vulnerable residents to further risk.

A poor use of an historic building

The Denmark Arms has been on Barking Road since 1871 and is Grade II listed and part of the East Ham Civic Conservation area. It is legally protected because of its historic and architectural significance.

The interior of The Denmark Arms is an exceptionally well-preserved example of late-Victorian pub design; Ionic columns, ornate plaster cornices, marble chimney-pieces, engraved glass doorways, and a stained-glass skylight, largely intact after 150 years. The applicant’s plans propose neon lighting across these decorated ceilings and surfaces painted black, works that could cause irreversible damage.

The community deserves better

East Ham is designated a Major Centre, which means new uses should improve the quality of the area. An adult gaming centre open 24 hours a day does not improve East Ham. The nearby 387 Barking Road was formerly an adult gaming centre and has already been converted back to a shop - the direction of travel should be away from these uses, not towards them.

The Denmark Arms could be a genuine asset to East Ham, a community space, a cultural venue, somewhere that serves the whole neighbourhood. The council should refuse this application and work with the community to find a use that reflects the building’s history and adds real value to our area.

What we are calling for

We, the undersigned, call on Newham Council to:

• Refuse planning applications 26/00744/FUL and 26/00821/LBC, and any future applications for harmful uses at this site
• Monitor The Denmark Arms use and scrutinise any future proposals with the community's interests at the forefront
• Work with the East Ham community to secure a future for The Denmark Arms that protects our heritage and serves the neighbourhood

This petition does not end with these applications. The Denmark Arms has been part of East Ham since 1871. We are here to ensure it has a future worthy of that history.

Protect The Denmark Arms - for East Ham, for everyone