Grosvenor Reopening 44 England Casinos on August 1

  • Grosvenor Casinos have been closed since the middle of March because of the pandemic
  • English casinos got the green light to reopen from Boris Johnson last week
  • Grosvenor properties will have extensive health and safety protocols in place for reopening
  • Casinos initially hoped to restart operations on July 4
Grosvenor Casinos sign
After closing its casinos in mid-March because of the pandemic, Grosvenor will be reopening 44 of its locations in England on August 1. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Long awaited reopening

Grosvenor Casinos is reopening 44 of its properties across England on August 1, four and a half months after they were closed in the middle of March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The casino operator, part of the Rank Group, has government approval to reopen once strict health and safety protocols are followed. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed last week that English casinos could start to reopen when August begins. The company has provided no confirmation regarding casinos in Scotland and Wales. 

a lot of work has gone into ensuring we have the highest standards of hygiene and safety measures in place”

Grosvenor Casinos managing director Jonathon Swaine said: “We want to create the best gaming and hospitality experience which guests know and love and a lot of work has gone into ensuring we have the highest standards of hygiene and safety measures in place to do so when we reopen.”

Health and safety protocols

The casino operator released a video that featured former world champion boxer David Haye detailing some of the health and safety protocols that will be in place as the properties reopen. 

All patrons will need to use hand sanitizer when entering the properties, with dispensers placed at convenient locations. “Enhanced cleaning” will also take place during the course of the day for the likes of slot machines, casino chips, and tables.

customers will also be urged to use contactless payment methods

Masks will be optional, but there will be social distancing in place on the gaming floor. All customers will also be urged to use contactless payment methods when possible, though cash will still be accepted. 

Grosvenor Casinos has properties in cities all across England, including Birmingham, Blackpool, Bristol, Manchester, Leicester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Sheffield. 

Reopening backlash

Casinos in the UK have been voicing their concerns about how they are being treated throughout the pandemic. Originally, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) industry group announced that casinos in England could start reopening on July 4. However, this proved to not be the case. 

Casinos were not part of the list of leisure and hospitality venues released by the government that could reopen starting July 4. This led to a backlash from casino operators who were urging the government to allow them to reopen sooner. Most of these casino operators had invested significantly in ensuring that properties were up to health and safety standards during the downtime. The general manager of Grosvenor Casino Birmingham, Matt Rudd, was one of the vocal critics of this government delay.

The casino gambling sector employs about 14,000 people in the country, with annual gambling tax revenue of about £300m ($382m). 

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