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Paddy Power is a reality on prominent corner of Southgate Circus News Desk Residents in the leafy suburb of Southgate north London are up in arms at the decision to grant Paddy Power the Irish bookies, planning permission for a new outlet, within a 50 metre radius of St Andrew's primary school, and opposite existing bookies Ladbrokes. Enfield Council granted planning permission earlier this year to the Irish bookmaker to convert an iconic Wimpy into a bookies, and over August local businesses and residents were told that the Wimpy would be renovated, only to find at the start of September a Paddy Power on the High Street. According to local blog N14.net "the planning letter asks for planning permission to install a new shop front with advertising consent, and two air conditioning units to the second floor flat roof; and four satellite dishes and a TV aerial to the rear of the premises." Local businesses and residents groups are all furious that Enfield Council granted planning permission for the bookies despite three betting shops already operating less than 300m - William Hill is four doors down Chase Side, while a branch of Ladbrokes is on the opposite side of Chase Road. Under current planning laws the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (SI 1995/418) planning permission is not required to convert restaurants and cafes, drinking establishments and hot food takeaways into class A2 establishments which the bookies come under. In other areas residents and local businesses have managed to lobby against Paddy Power coming to their areas; Tottenham in the London Borough of Haringey, in 2010 planning permission was refused to convert Body Music on the grounds that "an unwelcome use on a prominent corner that would have a negative impact on the centre's ability to attract retailers". In Faircross Parade, Barking, Barking and Dagenham Council planning permission was refused in August 2013 because a betting shop would “be harmful to the vitality and viability of the shopping centre”. One local business man speaking to The London Daily News said: "It just beggars belief that a prominent site like the old Wimpy would be given to Paddy Power, it just gives the wrong impression of Southgate, and in any case have we not got enough bookies?". A "gaming arcade" several years ago opposite Southgate tube station "Agora" was boycotted by local residents and a local campaign led to it eventual closure, The London Daily News is aware of resident groups now organising campaigns to see Paddy Power's demise from Southgate's high street.
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