As expected, the bid by the London Borough of Newham to prevent Paddy Power from opening a new betting shop has failed.

Paddy Power

Councils all over the country were hoping to use the legal challenge as a test case. Newham has over 80 betting offices in its six-mile radius of London and fought the case on the grounds that the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) in bookies’ shops were damaging for the local society.

But District Judge Paul Goldspring yesterday handed down a ruling that the evidence did not prove that granting a licence would not be “reasonably consistent” with the council’s objective of preventing crime and disorder.

Paddy Power had insisted that it made a positive contribution to local communities and said: “The UK high street is facing unprecedented challenges and our expanding retail presence adds much-needed vitality and footfall to localities as well as vital employment.”