'The wrong message' - Dozens of objections over plans for BoyleSports betting shop at Sunderland railway station
Dozens of people have objected to plans for a new betting shop in Sunderland’s redeveloped train station.
The public backlash is linked to an application from BoyleSports to occupy the main retail unit at the new multi-million pound Sunderland Station.
The commercial unit has been unoccupied since the new southern concourse officially opened in December, 2023, and in a recent statement, station operator Northern Trains confirmed the unit was “under offer” and that a tenant “fit out” was expected in 2026.
It was argued that the licensed betting office would create jobs and “improve the viability and vitality” of Sunderland’s primary shopping area, as well as bringing a “long-term vacant unit” back into “beneficial use.”
During a council consultation exercise, the application has sparked public opposition with around 25 formal objections lodged.
The objections, posted on the council’s planning portal website, raise concerns about the principle of the betting shop in the train station, the number of existing betting shops on Wearside and potential gambling-related harms.
Other concerns include the plan clashing with the city council’s regeneration efforts in terms of establishing a betting shop in a “primary gateway for visitors and commuters”, along with anti-social behaviour fears.
One public comment noted several betting shops existed “within a short walking distance” of the rail station and said the proposed “garish signage” would “bring down the aesthetic” of the newly regenerated site.
Another comment said the BoyleSports unit “sends the wrong message about where the city is heading” and may have wider gambling-related harms, including “leading people down a path of debt.”
Some alternative uses for the unit suggested by the public included a coffee shop, newsagent, flower store, supermarket or café/restaurant.
One public objector said the “visibility and accessibility of a bookmaker’s in such a setting may contribute to the normalisation of gambling, particularly among impressionable groups.”
There are several existing betting shops and adult gaming centres in the streets near the redeveloped Sunderland Station.
It is understood that the nearest existing BoyleSports branch is in Stanley, County Durham, and that the proposed Sunderland Station unit, if approved, would be the gambling firm’s first in Sunderland.
BoyleSports, which was once an SAFC club sponsor, stressed that its stores “ensure responsible gambling” and that the proposed Sunderland development would create local jobs.
A BoyleSports spokesperson said: “Our proposal is to bring a long-vacant unit back into use, creating a modern retail space and jobs for local people.
“All our stores are centred around a commitment to ensuring responsible gambling, with guidance and support for visitors readily available throughout our premises.
“We are proud of our historic links with Sunderland, and we believe this would represent a significant, positive investment in a prominent vacant unit in the city.”
In recent months, there have been efforts to boost footfall at the rail station and improve its environment, with art and craft market events and live music, as well as the recent addition of a new independent business Caribe Coffee.
If the BoyleSports betting shop gets the go-ahead, it will employ three full-time and three part-time staff.