Casino bosses 'glad that supercasino is effectively dead'

2007-07-12 16:02:35

Casino chiefs are relieved that the new prime minister has effectively ended the debate of whether a supercasino should be built in Manchester, according to a national newspaper.

Despite telling a Manchester newspaper earlier this year that he supported the government's gambling legislation, Gordon Brown has called for a review and suggested that regeneration in the east part of the city could be achieved through other means.

A report in the Independent suggested that the government's u-turn has been welcomed by casino operators who were fearful that a larger rival would steal all their business.

A spokesman for Rank told the newspaper: "We currently operate five casinos in the Greater Manchester area [...] and our casino managers will no doubt be relieved if the supercasino does not go ahead."

Last month, Graham Stringer MP, who represents Manchester Blackley, blamed Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for jeopardising the city's chances of hosting Britain's first supercasino.

A letter obtained by the Manchester Evening News revealed that Mr Stringer was angry that the he and two other bishops voted against the government's gambling bill.

"People voted against the casino for a number of reasons but I believe that your intervention was pivotal in the House of Lords rejecting a statutory instrument for only the third time since 1945," he wrote.