Opposition Grows to Parrs Wood Casino Plan

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 8th Jul 2006

Local people are showing their opposition to plans for a casino at the Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre in East Didsbury.

Residents of nearby streets have been writing in to the City Council by the dozen to object to the plans, which would see a casino operating until the early hours of the morning.

Local Liberal Democrats delivered hundreds of letters to residents who live in the area, to make sure that they knew about the plan and show how they could object to it.

Didsbury Councillor Helen Fisher has been inundated with letters and calls from concerned residents. Helen said:

"The area around Parrs Wood is a residential area. People here enjoy the fact that East Didsbury is a quiet, pleasant place in which to live. They are appalled at the prospect of a late-night Casino, with all the noise, traffic and disturbance that it could bring."

John Leech, Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington, which includes Didsbury, added:

"The Liberal Democrats do not oppose all casinos - it is a free country and gambling is a fact of everyday life. However, this is not an appropriate location for a casino. It is slap bang in the middle of a residential area and next door to a school. I hope that the City Council listens to the concerns of local people."

ENDS