Developer loses gamble on city casino

The ambitious 14m plans would have seen the disused Majestyk building in City Square become a venue for gambling, cabaret and live entertainment.

The building is now disused but has seen life as a cinema, bingo hall and nightclub.

The developers were planning to call it Majestic Casino – the changed spelling a return to the 1921 cinema name.

But a judge has rejected the developer's application for a gaming licence following an appeal hearing.

The developer, Waterimage Limited, lodged an appeal against an earlier refusal by magisrates to grant a licence.

In 2008, magistrates in Leeds concluded that another Leeds casino, the Alea at Clarence Dock, had ample facilities to provide entertainment and there was not enough demand for another casino.

The Yorkshire Post understands that a judge, who sat with magistrates for the appeal hearing in October, has come to the same conclusion.

The judge's decision and reasons are expected to be made public later this month.

Bosses at Waterimage, a partnership between Luminar, the largest owner of nightclubs in the world, and French hotel and casino group Lucien Barriere, have confimed that their application was not successful.

A Luminar spokesman said: "We are of course very disappointed at the outcome and believe that this is the wrong decision. Our proposal was about providing something truly new and differentiated to the people of Leeds, generating new jobs in the area and also helping complete the regeneration of Leeds City Square."