PEOPLE in Worcester will have to be consulted before a planned new casino in St John's can be opened, under legislation set out by culture secretary Tessa Jowell.

Operator Cheval UK are awaiting the passage of the controversial Gambling Bill before it can convert the Bamboo nightclub into a casino.

The Bill scraps centrally-designated restrictions on where casinos can be opened and instead places decisions in the hands of a new Gambling Commission and local planning and licensing authorities.

But, faced with a rebellion among Labour backbenchers during the Bill's second Commons reading on Monday, Ms Jowell introduced a concession forcing councils to consult local people before making decisions.

The culture secretary replaced local councils' power to consult over casinos with a "duty to consult". Ms Jowell insisted: "There will be no new casinos if local people don't want new casinos."

But despite signalling that she might also be prepared to consider a cap on the overall number of casinos nationwide - a key demand of Labour rebels, as well as Tory and Liberal Democrat MP - the Government's majority was slashed by more than half to 74 when MPs voted on the bill.

Social changes

Of Worcestershire's MPs, only Labour's Michael Foster (Worcester) and Jacqui Smith (Redditch) voted for the Bill.

Mid-Worcestershire's Peter Luff, West Worcestershire's Sir Michael Spicer, Leominster's Bill Wiggin, Bromsgrove's Julie Kirkbride and Wyre Forest's Richard Taylor all voted against.

Ms Kirkbride told the Commons: "The Bill heralds one of the most profound social changes in our society that I have witnessed in my seven years as an MP."

The Tory MP also claimed that, while there were not enough restrictions on the anticipated influx of Las Vegas-style super-casinos, "harmless pursuits" such as seaside slot machines were being wrongfully outlawed.

"I see no reason to prevent fish and chip shops and cab firms from retaining their modest slot machines offering a £5 payout for a 10p stake.

"Local authorities already have the right to ban machines from such premises but they choose not to do so - why are the Government choosing to do it now? This seems a vindictive measure."

Ms Kirkbride also called for a single super-casino to be opened "on a trial basis", before MPs made a legislative leap in the dark.

Michael Foster told the Evening News that fears of new super-casinos should not spread to Worcester.

"I can't see Worcester ever having one of these big style casinos because it doesn't have the population base to afford them.

"The places that need them are places like Blackpool because without one Blackpool will die as a tourist venue."