Traders and residents in Catford have expressed frustration over the slow pace of regeneration in the area, which they say has been exacerbated by anti-social behaviour and violent crime. Their comments come as a fifth gambling venue prepares to open within a 400-metre radius, despite local opposition.
Fifth gambling venue opens despite council refusal
Merkur Slots is set to open in Rushey Green, Catford, after Lewisham Council's refusal of the application was overturned on appeal by the national Planning Inspectorate. The council had earlier rejected the proposal, but the inspectorate cited a strict 'aim to permit' rule laid out in the Gambling Act.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has now vowed to give councils more control over the opening of vape shops and gambling centres, and is looking to scrap the 'aim to permit' rule. This step has been welcomed by Lewisham Council, which is pressuring the government to ensure authorities have clear powers to resist gambling sites in already oversaturated areas.
Call for local powers and business rate reform
Councillor Daniel Dream responded to the opening of Merkur Slots by saying it feels like a real missed opportunity that the premises has become yet another adult gaming centre in the town centre. He noted the building, a former bank on a prominent corner, has been empty for a few years.
“Nobody was happy the last time a gambling centre opened, because it was felt that we already had enough of them. We shouldn't be getting decisions like this overturned. Local authorities need real power to make real decisions that stick,” said Cllr Dream.
He suggested Lewisham Council could explore lowering business rates in Catford for small businesses to attract people to the area, as the authority pivots to prioritising footfall over generating income from rent. He described the Catford Centre as a remarkable, overlooked place, comparing it to a well-loved municipal space in Athens.
Catford Centre's decline and independent success
The Catford Centre, once a hub of independent shops, now consists of a Tesco, Iceland, Savers, multiple charity shops and a collection of empty units. Its current state is an indicator of the area's struggles over recent years.
Amid the decline, Yoga House, opened by local mum-of-three Kasia Blackwell in 2018, has won a host of awards and expanded with the new Studio Strength site next door in July last year. Blackwell believes Catford has a lot of potential and there are many local people with amazing talents and offerings.
She told MyLondon that Catford is not really a destination for people at the moment, but if there were more independent shops, pop-up restaurants or anything new, it would be more attractive. She added that another betting shop is not going to make that happen.
Safety concerns and crime incidents
Blackwell said some of her predominantly female customers have been approached or made to feel threatened by people lurking around nearby streets after dark. She believes safety needs to be improved by tackling anti-social behaviour if Catford is to become a destination for shoppers again.
In October last year, the community was rocked by four stabbings over one week. The incidents began with the death of 27-year-old Sanchini Thompson in Rushey Green on October 15, before other incidents in Mountsfield Park and Canadian Avenue. The week concluded with a 20-year-old man being knifed in the Catford Centre on October 21.
Salih Mehmet, who has run his watch repair stall in the shopping centre for 40 years, believes these links to crime will make the town's regeneration much more difficult. He said that even if millions are spent on infrastructure, without addressing the general state of Catford and the people who frequent it, progress will be limited.
Mehmet noted that many elderly customers still make the effort to visit him, but it's not the same anymore. He said he wouldn't start a new business in Catford because you'll never have a chance. Despite his lack of faith, he agrees that making it harder for vape shops and gambling centres to open would be a positive step.
“Small businesses are the only ones that are actually going to get in here and actually do any good. The multinationals won't touch Catford anymore, because they know what it's like,” he concluded. Merkur Slots has been approached for a comment.
