24/7 ‘Bingo Hall’ planning application at former Santander Bank on Ruislip High Street

We have been reviewing a new planning application and will be formally objecting to the proposal.

An application has been submitted for 73 High Street, Ruislip—the site of the former Santander bank—to change its use from a bank to a “sui generis (bingo hall)”. The application also includes plans to create a new, separate doorway to provide direct access to the upper floors.

While the RRA is keen to see empty units on the High Street filled, we have significant concerns about the nature of this proposal and its potential impact on our town centre.

What is Actually Being Proposed?

The application form requests permission for the bingo hall to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We also have concerns about the description of the venue as a “bingo hall.” The applicant’s own Planning Statement includes a “Comparative Survey of Adult Gaming Centres”, and documentation related to a similar application by the same company elsewhere confirms the business model is based on modern, electronic bingo terminals rather than traditional, paper-based bingo.

This distinction is important, as the application appears to be for a 24/7 adult gaming and machine centre, not a community bingo hall in the traditional sense.

A Two-Step Process: Planning vs. Licensing

It is important for residents to understand that this is a dual-stage process. This current application is for planning permission only. This stage decides on the principle of the use of the land, the opening hours, and the impact on the character and amenity of the area.

If planning permission is granted, the applicant would still need to apply for a separate Gambling Premises Licence from the Council’s Licensing department, as required by the Gambling Act 2005.

We have confirmed with the LBH Licensing department that, as of mid-November 2025, no application for a gambling licence has yet been submitted for this premises.

Other similar applications

This application is not unique, and we can look to other recent cases to see the context.

The same applicant, Sunni-Ed Limited, submitted a nearly identical application to convert a former bank into a “bingo hall”. Spelthorne Council’s planning officer recommended it for approval; however, last week the local planning committee (made up of elected councillors) voted to refuse the application.

Another Hillingdon application (Ref: 28554/APP/2023/3714) for a 24-hour Adult Gaming Centre in a former bank in Hayes was refused by Hillingdon Council. The Council’s reasons included harm to the vitality of the shopping area and noise and disturbance from the proposed 24-hour use.

However, this decision was overturned on appeal by a government Planning Inspector in September 2024, and permission was granted. This case is highly relevant for Ruislip for several reasons:

• The Inspector gave “limited weight” to the Council’s policy (DMTC 2) of protecting primary retail frontages, which is one of the RRA’s key points of objection (though 73 High Street is within the Ruislip Village Conservation Area).
• The 24-hour opening was only permitted because the applicant submitted a detailed Noise Impact Assessment. The Inspector then imposed a strict condition forcing the applicant to install specified sound insulation to protect the flats above before the centre could open.
• The Inspector noted that another 24-hour gaming centre was already operating nearby in Hayes, which is a key difference from the situation in Ruislip.

This is not the first time such a venue has been proposed for our High Street. In 2009, an application for a bingo hall at 126-128 High Street was refused by Hillingdon Council. The formal reason for refusal was that the proposal would “be detrimental to the vitality and viability of the primary shopping area” and would “undermine the retail function of the area”.

RRA’s Grounds for Objection

The RRA will be submitting a formal objection based on material planning considerations. Our key arguments for refusal are:

• Harm to Town Centre Vitality: The site at 73 High Street is in a “Primary Shopping Area.” A sui generis (non-retail) use in this location would reduce the active retail frontage, break up the flow of shops, and harm the vitality and viability of the town centre. This echoes the successful grounds for refusal used by the Council in 2009.
• Impact on Residential Amenity: The applicant is requesting 24/7 opening hours. This is a commercial High Street, but it is not a 24-hour economy. Such excessive hours would inevitably lead to an unacceptable increase in noise and disturbance, particularly during anti-social hours, harming the amenity of residents living in flats above and near the High Street.
• Harm to the Conservation Area: The premises is a prominent building within the Ruislip Village Conservation Area. We believe a 24/7 gambling establishment, and the associated signage and activity, is out of character and would be detrimental to the special character and appearance of the conservation area.

How to Make Your Voice Heard

This application is open for public consultation, and all resident comments must be submitted to Hillingdon Council by 4th December 2025.

The RRA has prepared this form that you can use to send your own objection to the Council based on the planning points listed above.

Alternatively, you can view the application and comment directly on the Hillingdon Council planning portal using the reference 14252/APP/2025/2753.

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