£200k slot machine arcade opens in Hanley
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A £200,000 entertainment centre has opened - inside part of the former Webberleys. Merkur Slots has taken on three units within the historic Hanley building following the controversial closure of Webberleys.
Ten jobs have been created in the arcade which features digital slot machines and bingo. It has pay-outs ranging from £5 to £500 and customers receive unlimited free refreshments.
It is now six years since Webberleys closed. Now Merkur Slots joins bookies BoyleSports in the building.
Merkur Casino UK chief operating officer Mark Schertle said: “Our aim with this new state-of-the-art entertainment centre is to give both new and existing customers a unique gaming experience in an environment that reflects the scale of the investment. I’m sure those visiting over the next few days and weeks will be as excited about this new Merkur Slots venue as I am.”
City centre shoppers have welcomed the latest investment.
Peter Humphries, aged 71, of Hanley, said: "I’m not a gambling man as such but I’ve got no objection to it. It’s another empty unit being filled and what we now need is a lot of people in Hanley. The empty shops need filling up.
"Hanley is very bad at the moment and you are not going to get people in until you get rid of the addicts. The casino will probably have a better class of people than those who go to the pubs.
"The new jobs are good for the local economy and I’m glad the place is being used. It’s terrible to see the decline of Hanley. I’m old enough to know Hanley in the 1960s and it was very busy back then. It’s disheartening to see the state it’s in now. A lot of people won’t come up here, especially the older ones, because they feel uncomfortable and intimidated."
Rob Fenwick, aged 40, of Blurton, said: "I think it’s good for Hanley and I’m happy another unit has been filled. Honestly, right now Hanley is a s***hole and it needs more investment."
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