Plans for flagship casino

In July, Wolverhampton was named as one of several cities set to get a large casino under the Gambling Act 2005.

Plans are also in the pipeline for a "racino" at Wolverhampton's Dunstall Park racecourse.

Grosvenor bosses met the city's religious leaders last week over their concerns that the casino could fuel gambling addictions.

Representatives from Wolverhampton's Christian, Muslim, and Hindu communities met with managing director of Grosvenor Peter McCann at St Michael's RC Church in Penn.

Mr McCann said: "Our experience as one of the leading British casino operators has invested us with a strong awareness of the responsibilities to the local community wherever we run a casino.

"Whilst the new licensing legislation offers us a potential commercial opportunity, we are a business which is very aware of its social responsibilities and have invested heavily in teaching our staff to be aware of the warning signs.

"Everyone who works for us and deals directly with customers, from the croupier to the general manager, receives extensive training. This teaches them to recognise those who may have a gambling problem and then offer them advice and counselling as to where they can turn for help.

"And as we may consider applying for a licence, should Wolverhampton be granted one of the new licences, we are especially keen to make every effort to listen to the concerns of the local community at an early stage in the process."

Owners of Dunstall Park racecourse have warned it could close with the loss of hundreds of jobs if planning permission is not granted for the racino.

The £20 million-plus scheme would see more than 200 new jobs created, the Holiday Inn extended to triple the current 52 rooms, and the building of a health club.

By Becky Sharpe

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