Listen to this article:Plans to open the club 24 hours a day, seven days a week have been withdrawn by Mecca Dagenham. The bingo club at London East Leisure Park currently has planning permission to open between 8am and 2am every day. Mecca Bingo had applied to remove those restrictions after reporting a “growing demand” for late-night bingo, but the company withdrew the application on Friday 31 July.
The decision came three days after Barking and Dagenham Council announced a public consultation on a new gambling licensing policy, which places more of an emphasis on preventing gambling-related harm and protecting vulnerable people. However, the proposed policy changes relate to licensing rather than planning and should not have directly affected Mecca’s planning application.
Mecca Bingo Dagenham has operated at London East Leisure Park since 1996. The operator wanted to extend its opening hours and allow the venue to stay open throughout the night.
As part of its case, Mecca said that it had seen increasing demand for late-night opening and pointed out that its existing late-night opening hours had not resulted in any complaints. It also noted that two other businesses at London East Leisure Park, The Gym Group and McDonald’s, are already permitted to operate around the clock.
A planning statement submitted with the application said:
“The premises has operated at this location continuously since 1996, and a 24-hour-a-day operating model is considered appropriate for the venue due to the evolving nature of the leisure and entertainment sector, particularly in urban locations where the applicant has seen a growing demand for flexible, late-night leisure facilities.”
However, the application was withdrawn before councillors had the opportunity to discuss the plans.
The proposal was withdrawn just three days after Barking and Dagenham Council announced a consultation on changes to its gambling licensing policy. However, there has been no confirmation that the policy review was the reason Mecca decided to withdraw its planning application.
As mentioned, the application to allow 24-hour opening concerned planning restrictions on the premises, while the council’s new policy deals with gambling licensing. Therefore, the proposed licensing changes should not have affected the planning application.
However, Mecca would also have needed permission to change the hours covered by its gambling premises licence, and its planning statement confirmed that it had applied to do so.
Barking and Dagenham Council is currently updating its Gambling Policy for 2026 to 2029, something it is required to do every three years. One of the biggest proposed changes is a greater focus on public health and preventing gambling-related harm rather than relying primarily on a traditional licensing approach.
The draft policy also places more emphasis on the risks faced by vulnerable people, including those experiencing financial difficulties, mental health conditions, addiction, homelessness or other forms of social or economic disadvantage.
Under the proposed policy, gambling businesses applying for licences would be expected to demonstrate how they intend to reduce local risks, particularly when premises are located in areas with higher levels of deprivation.
Senior councillor Syed Ghani, who is responsible for licensing, said:
“We want to ensure our Gambling Policy reflects the needs, experiences and priorities of local people.
“As a council, we have a responsibility to support safe and well-regulated gambling whilst doing everything we can to protect residents, particularly children and vulnerable people, from gambling-related harm.”
The withdrawal by Mecca Dagenham means there will be no change to the current planning restrictions at the club for the time being. The club will continue to be permitted to operate between 8am and 2am rather than moving to the proposed 24-hour schedule.
The council’s six-week consultation on its draft Gambling Policy ran from 13 July until 24 August. Responses are now due to be considered before the final policy is presented to the relevant council bodies for approval.
There is every chance that Mecca will return with another proposal for longer hours in the future. Still, for now, there is no indication whether it intends to do so, so bingo players in Dagenham will have to make do with being able to play for 18 hours a day.
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