Plans to convert a bingo club into a 24-hour casino in Didsbury have been rejected by town bosses.

Grosvenor Casinos submitted proposals to turn the former Buckingham Bingo at the Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre into a gambling zone. After residents rejected to the application the council’s planning committee in Manchester decided not to grant the application.

Campaigners claimed with the site being next door to Parrs Wood High School, sixth-form students at the school would be encourage to gamble.

The casino was opposed by John Leech, MP for Withington, as well as residents and local councillors.

Coun David Sandiford commented: “Putting a casino near Parrs Wood High School would have been a dreadful decision.

“It was a wholly unsuitable site for a casino and the people of East Didsbury will be absolutely delighted by this decision.”

Grosvenor Casinos already have a site on Bury New Road in north Manchester. It was reported that the new venue would have created around 120 jobs with a £3-£4m investment in the refurbishment of the Buckingham Bingo site.

The Rank group, which is the parent company of both Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo clubs, stated that the site was already a bingo hall and that permission had been granted in 2007 to turn part of the complex into a casino which was open until 6am.