Managers of Genting Casino have announced the closure of the chain’s venue within The Cornerhouse in Nottingham, England, citing “commercial considerations.”
In a statement, a spokesman for the Birmingham-headquartered casino chain explained the decision followed a 30-day consultation process with all staff at the Nottingham casino.
“We have explored all avenues and come to the decision that we will be closing the Nottingham casino due to current commercial considerations,” they said, as per Nottingham Post. “Genting has a duty of care to all our employees and we will be supporting our staff accordingly as we have done through the consultation review.”
Genting continues to run 34 casinos across the UK, including in the nearby cities of Derby and Leicester. It is unclear how many staff worked at the Nottingham casino. Members of the casino were sent a text message on Monday informing them the venue was permanently closed.
Senior business leaders in the area said whilst it was sad to see the loss of the casino, the closure presented an opportunity for other companies to move into the vacant space.
As reported by Nottingham Post, East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said that The Cornerhouse multi-use leisure complex is “an integral part of Nottingham’s city center commercial mix, providing a centerpiece for people who spend their leisure time and acting as a magnet for other businesses to locate nearby.”
“We have seen a number of major chains in the entertainment and hospitality industries struggle over the past year due to the twin crises in the cost of living and cost of doing business,” Hobson pointed out.
“While it is always sad to see established names disappear and jobs lost, churn is a part of the evolution of any city center and new businesses will no doubt be keen to take advantage of such opportunities, creating new jobs and exciting amenities in their place,” he concluded.
Genting was hit hard by the closure of its sites amid the restrictions imposed under the coronavirus lockdown. Back in July 2020, the company said 1,642 UK employees were at risk of redundancy as part of a consultation process. Several of its casinos closed as a result.
