Photo: Cllr Tony Dawson outside The Lord Street Amusement Arcade
A decision is awaited any day now from the Planning Inspectorate in the long-running saga of the Scarisbrick Hotel Amusement arcade saga.
Brittania Group, the owners of the Scarisbrick Hotel and Pontins, opened the amusement arcade without permission in January 2015. Where the arcade was opened is a listed building as well as being in a conservation area.
Opposition to the arcade was led by Town Centre councillor Tony Dawson, who was fully-backed by the Southport Civic Society.
Councillor Dawson was highly-critical of the way that Sefton Council let this matter slip month after month.
“They seemed to think that they could persuade Brittania to close down the arcade by being nice to them But all this did was encourage them in their belief that the Council would leave them alone if they left it long enough.”
Cllr Dawson pressed the council for months in 2015 to enforce the closure of the arcade, but when the council finally agreed this matter, Brittannia appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.
“I would hope for the future that the Council sets a better example to residents over planning matters,” says Councillor Dawson. “If people see big businesses acting like this in Southport without getting planning permission then some residents might start asking why they themselves should behave any different.”
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