Jobs at risk as Alea Leeds closes doors

LONDON Clubs International has ceased trading at its Alea Leeds venue following the company’s decision to withdraw from the race to run a large casino in the city.

LCI, which operated the casino from a large venue at Clarence Dock, said the decision to withdraw from the licensing process highlighted “frustrations with the pace of change within the UK gaming industry”.

The decision affects almost 100 employs at Alea Leeds and a redundancy consulation programme has started.

A spokeswoman for LCI said the decision meant all operations within the casino – including celebrity chef James Martin’s The Leeds Kitchen and The Bird Vineet – would also close. 

Roy Ramm, governance and public affairs director at London Clubs International, said:  “Our initial commercial concerns have been caused by the failure of successive governments to provide or seek to provide a fair regulatory and commercially viable operating environment for the terrestrial casino industry. 

“We work really hard to provide safe, adult leisure and entertainment venues and real careers for the people who work for us, but government policy towards the industry does not seem to acknowledge those efforts or recognise or promote the industry as a safe and legitimate element of the leisure and tourism sector, providing jobs and investment in the UK. 
 
“We made a significant investment into Alea when it opened in 2008 and have continued to support the business through difficult times for Clarence Dock, but during the bid process we became aware of the full extent of the additional investment sought by the Council in order to win the new licence and it has become clear to us that this additional financial burden is unsustainable. 

“It is with great regret that we are also suspending trading our existing casino business in the city, but current trading conditions in the Clarence Dock development have made this outcome inevitable.”

The licence on offer from Leeds City Council is one of eight available across the country and will have a minimum area of 1,000 sq m and up to 150 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000.
 
Alea Leeds’s withdrawal from the process means there are now two competitors left: Leeds United and Global Gaming Ventures.