An “adult gaming centre” has been granted licence to set up premises in Ipswich Town Centre. 

Luxury Leisure has been seeking permission to open an adult gaming centre in the former Hughes electrical store since the summer. 

The company asked for permission to move into the vacant building in August, an application which is still pending consideration.  

However, after meeting to discuss this and various other applications on November 23, the council has now granted the company a premises licence.  

Luxury Leisure now has a licence to operate in Upper Brook Street for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The company’s application originally generated some concern in the town that the presence of the adult gaming centre could “potentially lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour through the resultant increase in operating hours”. 

However, Luxury Leisure’s chief executive Tom Allen was quick to deny that this would be the case. 

He said: “We don’t experience cases of anti-social behaviour in our venues. This has been accepted by a number of councils this year, including most recently in Westminster and Lambeth.    

“In the last few years, we’ve opened several new venues around the UK and look forward to opening in Ipswich in the near future.”   

A letter of support has also now been received by the council, which argues that the benefits of the gaming centre have been “downplayed”. 

Fraser Tinsley is principal chartered town planner at BH Planning & Design, based in Newcastle upon Tyne.  

He said: “The current unit proposed for an ACG [adult gaming centre] closed approximately one year ago and an alternative retail use has not been secured. 

“The proposed ACG will return it to active use and increase footfall in this part of the town centre. These are positives which will not be achieved if the unit continues to be vacant.  

“Our client has extensive experience in operating ACGs in secondary frontages such as this elsewhere in the country. They do provide active use and shopfronts and complement other uses including retail by increasing football in an area.  

“We consider that these positive benefits of the proposals in terms of contributing to vitality and viability have been downplayed.”