Ace Bingo Hall
The designs for the flats and houses that are to be constructed on the site of Cheltenham’s only bingo hall have been slammed.
Cheltenham Civic Society members described the plans for Ace Bingo as “uninspiring”.
The plan for the town’s last remaining bingo hall includes three houses and eleven apartments.
The three storey hall is owned by Lance Leisure. The firm asked Cheltenham Borough Council for permission to demolish the building and replace it with houses and a four-storey block of flats.
The designs were drawn up by Heath Avery Architects.
However, after taking a look at the plans, the Civic Society said: “We found this uninspiring and would favour something bolder with more articulation for the High Street – an important street.”
Speaking to local paper, The Gloucestershire Echo, the group’s chairman, John Henry, said: “There’s nothing particularly wrong with the scheme, it’s just not very interesting.
“I think as a group we’re not against putting more residential developments in the lower High Street. It was always there as a secondary shopping area, if you like, but there are so many shops elsewhere now that you can’t just expect it to be that.
“But it’s an important street for the town and we’d like to see something more innovative to act as a fillip for the area.
“It could be a flagship in its regeneration and be a real boost for it if it’s something more attractive, somewhere where people would want to come and live.”
He added: “The area is near the university and flats there will appeal to a particular type of person.
“Flats in the centre of town might not suit many families but young, single people might want to live there.
“And it’s good to have people living in the centre of town rather than just have empty shops and people out in the suburbs.
“I just feel our thinking was we’d like to see something stronger and more interesting.”
Heath Avery Architects declined to comment on the civic society’s criticism.
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