What was a seemingly innocuous application for Silvertime Amusements, a relocation to a shop ten units away, turned literally into a cause celebe. Enter Bianca Jagger whose intervention played its part in a refusal…one which could ultimately prove very expensive for the local authority if the arcadian appeals.

Silvertime Amusements’ plan to relocate its Earl’s Court AGC to a larger venue nearby has been blocked by the Kensington and Chelsea Planning Sub-Committee, following objections from prominent neighbours such as Bianca Jagger.

Legal counsel for Silvertime, Andrew Woods, had noted the submission was a “straightforward” proposal to move the business ten units further down Earl’s Court Road, however councillors refused on the basis both sites could briefly trade simultaneously.

“My clients have traded at 169 for 20 years,” said Woods. “My clients have had no issues at 169 at all. No issues raised to them by the police, the licensing department or indeed any members of the public on how 169 operates.”

Despite the two decades of trouble-free trading, more than 300 objections were submitted by local residents regarding the proposed move, with a protest held outside Earl’s Court Underground station last week, which included Jagger.

“I appeal to the council to stand up to these gaming companies and say no to gaming and taking advantage of the most vulnerable sections of society,” she said.

The sub-committee eventually refused the application on the grounds that there was no legal provision to ensure that the new premises did not start trading before the old premises closed.

One would imagine an appeal will follow, and the decision will likely be overturned leading to a probable £20,000 legal hit to the local authority. Bianca Jagger can certainly afford that, the local council less so. 

Rejecting an application rather than applying a condition could prove to be an expensive folly by a council appeasing the prohibitionists rather than following the law and Aim-ing to Permit.