Southend councillors will be asked for their opinions on opening a casino inside the Kursaal.

London Clubs (Casino) Limited has formally applied for a gaming licence to build a casino named Rendezvous on part of the ground floor and the whole of the second floor at the landmark building on Southend seafront.

Southend Council now has to decide whether it should lodge a formal objection to the scheme before the Betting Licensing Committee meets on January 10.

It is expected the meeting will be adjourned and then a date for a special hearing will be set to decide whether or not to grant the licence.

The police are not expected to object.

A report before the borough's cabinet states that part of the ground floor would be used as an exclusive entrance at the back of the Kursaal.

The licensing authority can grant the licence if it is shown there are either no other casinos in the area or if the ones which exist do not meet demand.

A cabinet report advises councillors to bear in mind that a casino used to exist inside the Kursaal and when the council objected to a casino at the Courtlands Country Club at the end of 1988, part of the its case was that a "casino should be more properly located in the town centre/seafront area."

Steve Lumley, Southend's housing and environmental services director, said he was not aware of any complaints about noise or disturbance from the Kursaal and an added casino would be unlikely to pose any problems.

He said: "There may be an issue of the compatibility of the proposed casino with that of a general family leisure centre."

The issue will go to the ratification committee on January 5 for further discussion.

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