Hippodrome to be top casino & entertainment centre by 2011

It would seem the long awaited plans to refurbish and open a top class casino in the London Hippodrome are at least a few steps nearer. The original £8m casino redevelopment and restoration programme was planned by three stake holder groups under the name of United Leisure Gaming, the groups requested planning permission from Westminster City Council which was given as long ago as 2006. However former Beacon Bingo owners father and son team Simon and Harry Thomas have now decided to go it alone and have bought out the shares of United Leisure Gaming held by Eddie Fairless and Mike Pemberton and also Jon and Harry Shipley to take over the casino project.

The new casino project is now estimated to cost in the region of £15m and will include returning the Grade II listed building to its former glory, with refurbishments to the building including remedial works to the Flemish Renaissance plaster mouldings and the intricate balustrades cornices and proscenium arch. Simon and Harry Thomas sold their bingo business in 2006 for £80m and it is thought they will use the money from the sale of Beacon Bingo to carry out the restoration and refurbishments of this fantastic landmark.

The new casino will be housed in the 74,250 sq.ft. Hippodrome is expected to be completed by 2011, and is hoped to include not only the casino but also a cabaret theatre seating 160 as well as a restaurant headed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey. The original Hippodrome was built by Frank Matcham in 1900 for Moss Empires Limited and cost £250,000. The Hippodrome housed a circus and was also a music hall venue, and reportedly at one time has live shows with polar bears and elephants. More recently there was a different type of live show performed at the Hippodrome, when it was converted into a lively discothèque by nightclub entrepreneur Peter Stringfellow.