BOOKMAKER BetFred is trying to overturn Barnsley Council's decision to stop them turning a Wombwell High Street shop into a bookies.
More than 3,000 Wise Owl customers signed a petition against the plan and councillors turned it down in January. But since then, almost 4,000 have signed a new petition supporting the first. Staff said the second petition had been 'just in case' an appeal was launched.
The Chronicle broke the news to staff on Wednesday that BetFred has appealed to the government's planning Inspectorate.
Manager Audrey Upperdine said: "Nobody tells us anything. We get all our information when the Chronicle comes to see us. I just cannot understand why they persist in trying to come here when nobody in Wombwell wants them to come.
"I have not met one single person who wants BetFred. There are gamblers who have signed our petition. They don't need a third bookies."
Audrey spoke in front of councillors at the planning committee meeting in January. They voted 18-2 against BetFred, and one councillor agreed with Audrey's charge 'with three bookies it may as well be called Las Wombwell'.
A shopper on Wednesday said: "It would be absolutely disgusting if they shut this shop. It gives good competition in Wombwell to big shops like Wilkinsons. I shop here regularly. We don't want another bookies when there's already two."
The appeal process is expected to take about three months.
