Dear supporters, thanks for making our petition a force to be reckoned with! We are almost up to 4000 signatures and if you keep sharing on your street WhatsApp and other local groups we should be on track to hit our 5000 target very soon!

Here’s an update to bring you up to speed with what’s been going on.

We are still waiting for Nesil Caliskan to respond to our request to re-open the ‘consultation’ period, during which objections can be made to a 24hour slot machine arcade on our high street. Therefore, we are still asking people to write (or write again) to their ward councillors to put pressure on the leader of the council to do this. To find out who your local councillors are go to www.writetothem.com/ and put in your postcode. Simple as that! If you would like to use a template letter, you will find an example letter at the end of this update.

Meanwhile, our MP, Bambos Charalambous, has written to Oliver Dowden (Secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and sport) who is overseeing a review of the Gambling Act 2005 See this week’s edition of our local Palmers green Community newsletter for more information.

We have been approached by both local and national press for interviews so hopefully there will be articles on the campaign appearing soon.

Thank you again for your much appreciated support for our campaign to stop Merkur Slots from opening in Palmers Green. #stopPGmerkurslots 

Here is a template letter to councillors you can copy or adapt to make it more personal:

Dear

We are calling on Enfield Council to re-open the Licence Application consultation for the premises 292/292a Green Lanes N.13 5TW, made by Merkur Slots under the Gambling Act 2005 This 24 hour licence was granted by the council during a period of exceptional circumstances, (the Corona Virus pandemic), when London was being subjected to considerable restrictions with the expectation and instructions that people stay at home. 

 This, combined with ward councillors not bringing the application to the attention of their constituents and local community groups, resulted in local people being unaware of the application and unable to object in the allocated time. This has denied local people and businesses the opportunity to have their views represented and the licence was agreed without taking this evidence into an account so constituting a serious failure of local accountability and democracy.  We are also concerned that an adult gaming centre will increase antisocial behaviour in the area and will pose a considerable risk to children and vulnerable adults.  Such a development will signify degeneration rather than regeneration of our high street.

Yours sincerely