Deptford High Street mentioned in Dispatches

The Channel 4 Dispatches investigative team visited Deptford High Street back in May to take a look at the plethora of betting shops and interview some locals on their feelings about the situation. The team also visited other high streets to get the national picture.

The resulting programme, Britiain's High Street Gamble will be aired this coming Monday 6 August at 8pm on Channel 4.

"Britain's high streets are struggling to survive, but one business is booming; betting shops. On average one new bookie opens every week. In one London high street there are now 10 within yards and the locals are fed up. What's driving this gambling boom and what's the impact on our communities? Michael Crick investigates the rise of High Street gambling. He hears from an apologetic politician who now admits they got the gambling laws wrong, and from those most affected by the spread of the betting shops."

Watch the trailer here.

Meanwhile, thanks to a clause in the original planning permission for the ex-Halifax site at 93-95 Deptford High Street, Lewisham Planning and the government inspectorate have managed to fight off Betfred's exhaustive attempt to become the eighth betting shop in the high street. Betfred seem to have given up for now, if this To Let sign is anything to go by.

However, the problem has not gone away, especially since the recent Select Committee's Review of the 2005 Gambling Act ("A bet worth taking?" published on 24 July) has seen fit to recommend an increase in the allowance of Fixed Odd Betting Terminals (FOBTs) from 4 to as many as 20 – per shop!

See Daily Mail report based on the programme.