Gamblers could find themselves placing bets at a casino in Bognor Regis.

The prospect of one of the businesses helping to regenerate the town has been raised by councillors.

They agreed to be kept informed of developments in the gambling industry in response to a request from the National Casino Industry Forum.

But the council’s licensing committee members at last Friday’s (February 17) meeting declined to answer to a question to say if they were interested in the area hosting a casino.

Cllr Barbara Oakley (Middleton) said it was important the council kept an open mind about the arrival of a casino. “We should not be slamming the door on this idea. It certainly needs to be discussed by the regeneration committee.

“There is an argument you can use a casino as a regeneration ploy.

“You could argue you could drop the miniplex idea from the Regis Centre redevelopment idea and use a casino instead. It would solve everybody’s problems,” she said.

She pointed out a casino might also suit Butlin’s in the ongoing improvement of its site in Bognor.

She said: “This is the sort of thing they might be interested in. It could appeal to a large number of their customers.

“We should not respond to any specific questions from the forum but we should ask to be receive further information when it becomes available.

“If we do get an application in, we will then know how to deal with it.”

Cllr Alan Gammon (Brookfield) said: “I don’t know if a casino is a good thing or a bad thing. I don’t think they are wonderful but some people like them and we have to keep our options open.”

Cllr Tony Squires (Ham) said: “We have got these developments going on in Bognor and Littlehampton. There might be a demand for a casino in them. We don’t know.”

Forum chief executive Malcolm Moss told Arun in a letter: “All the evidence suggests casinos can be significant drivers of employment and investment, attracting both consumers and other leisure and retail operators to an area.”

He estimated a casino would employ 100-200 staff and provide further work through supply contracts and adding value to the surrounding economy.

He said modern casinos were usually developed alongside hotels as part of a tourist hub. The limited number of casinos meant they often attracted customers from a wide area.

“These extra consumers drive up footfall and have a beneficial effect on other local businesses and the night-time economy,” he stated.

He said ‘a number of councils’ had been approached to find out the level of interest around the country.

A FINAL call is being made to firms across the area for this year’s Observer and Gazette Business Awards.

The deadline to place your nomination is Saturday, so don’t miss out on the chance to see either your own company shine or show your support for enterprising efforts during the past year.

With our biggest-ever tally of 19 categories for our 2012 awards, we have already seen a wide range of responses from businesses keen to promote their success amid testing times.

But we are eager to attract as diverse a mix of companies as possible to have the chance to be put forward for an accolade.

With awards up for grabs in everything from start-up firm of the year, medium business of the year, through to the lifetime achievement category, it is set to be another memorable event.

So if you are involved with a business across Chichester, Midhurst, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, don’t be shy in putting your companies forward.

This year’s awards will be capped off by a glitzy black-tie evening at the end of next month compered once again by ITV’s Fred Dinenage at the Hilton Avisford Park on Friday, March 30. As past winners have told us, gaining an award has had a significant impact for companies in terms of their marketing and the prestige that comes with claiming an independently-judged award.

Make your nominations online at www.josouthevents.co.uk to see all 19 categories or email jeanette.hockley@chiobserver.co.uk with your nominations- either for your own firm or other worthy candidates across our area.

MILLIONS of pounds worth of investment in a new John Lewis store for Chichester is fast taking shape in the city.

Located in Portfield Way on the site of the former MFI and Paul Simon outlets, it will be opening on Thursday, April 5, in time for the key Easter trading period.

As an At Home branch, its focus is on core electrical and furnishing goods, with additional ranges of travel and nursey products in response to customer feedback. There will also be cafe faciltiies at the two-storey store which features 350 car parking spaces. The launch day will feature live music performances and entertainment for customers.

Gavin Smith, occupation manager with the firm, is responsible for the final stage delivery of the project and believed it is well on course for completion.

He said: “We are on target for the store opening before Easter trading in April. It has had its challenges due to it having previously been two stores that we are creating ours from. Once the construction work is finished we will be doing the final shop work in eight days, which includes moving £3m worth of stock in just three days.

“Each shop has its own design elements which make it different from others in the group and in Chichester’s case that is in the layout of its escalator and some different offerings including nursery and travel goods.”

Branch manager Claire Dunkason is joining from her present role at the retailer’s Poole store and will shortly be joined by her team of around 140 employees next month.

She said: “I am so excited that we are going to be openign in just a few weeks time. For me this is all about the people that work here and they will be working at other stores including Southampton in the month before we open so they will familiarise themeselves with the company.”

Computer terminals in the branch will allow shoppers to browse the wider johnlewis.com assortment including fashion, beauty and carpets and order for home delivery or next day collection at the shop via the retailer’s ‘click and collect’ service.

This allows customers to order products from johnlewis.com before 7pm and collect them at the branch after 2pm the following day or opt for home delivery.

Advertiser’s announcement

AN online business directory has hit out at unethically placed listings and reviews in the West Sussex area.

Find It, powered by Qype, Europe’s leading consumer reviews site, has cut thousands of misleading or malicious reviews from its 13.5 million online listings.

Taking a tough stance on third parties who abuse online reviews, Find It and Qype have taken down over two thousand fake reviews in the last month. Around three per cent of new reviews have been deleted since the partnership declared war on unethical listings.

With a new review appearing every 30 seconds on everything from hostels and tourist attractions to hairdressers and minicab companies, Find It and Qype have implemented a continuous campaign to keep the directory clean and ensure all business listings and reviews for West Sussex are accurate and fair.

Find It, powered by Qype, is committed to stopping people who use its listings for financial gain, and aims to stamp out biased or unreliable reviews.

“Find It is the number one source for trusted local reviews and listings, and working with Qype we want to ensure every single listing is independent and impartial,” said Andy Prior, digital product manager at Johnston Press.

Find it, powered by Qype, gives immediate access to over two million independent reviews on everything from quirky cafés and clubs to plumbers and primary schools. Covering 166,000 locations worldwide, including thousands of real reviews on the best places to go in West Sussex, Find it powered by Qype is an indispensable guide for locals, at home or away.

Hopes are still high for a watersports centre in Bognor Regis.

Arun District Council chief executive Nigel Lynn said he had met top executives at Butlin’s recently to talk about the multi-million-pound project.

“This is still quite feasible at the moment and is something we are still talking about. There is still a very, very good chance it will happen.

“It will be a new attraction for the town and it will bring in a new clientele. It is a way of getting different people into the town and spending money here,” he said at last Friday’s meeting of Bognor Regis Civic Society.

He spoke about the third hotel which Butlin’s is building on its Bognor site and its success before its opening in helping to attract improved bookings.

“Butlin’s is on the up. I hope we can work with them in the future so we can get the very best for the town,” he said.

The watersports centre is proposed for the Gloucester Road car park. A study by the University of Chichester showed it was a possibility and the university, Butlin’s and Arun agreed to jointly pursue the proposals.

No definite plans have yet been produced, but it is likely to cater for windsurfers and canoeists. A wave machine could also be installed to provide an all-year attraction for new visitors to the town.

But a way of overcoming the loss of parking spaces would have to be found.

Bognor resident Steve Goodheart urged Mr Lynn to ensure any regeneration proposals for the town improved the seafront.

He said: “The seafront is the jewel in the town’s crown. It needs to be looked after with imagination and creativity. St Modwen (Arun’s redevelopment partner) needs to do something on that seafront.

“If you only have a strip of tarmac, which it is now, it will just denigrate everything else around the town.

“The seafront is a unique selling point for Bognor and needs to be handled in such a way so we can get interesting activities taking place on there.”