Last remaining bingo hall in Cheltenham is facing demolition

Ace Bingo

The final remaining bingo hall in Cheltenham may be demolished, reports the Gloucestershire Gazette.

The news comes after the announcement this weekend that the plot is to be developed into housing.

Cheltenham Borough Council have received a request from the owners of Ace Bingo for permission to tear the hall down, replacing it with a four-storey, 11-flat apartment block, and three town houses.

They have placed the blame for the closure with the decline of the bingo industry, which has suffered since the smoking ban was introduced in 2007 and the growth of the online bingo market.

Francis Dyer, Manager of Ace Bingo.

The Ace Bingo hall in Cheltenham is the town’s last remaining bingo venue.

The general manager of Ace Bingo, Francis Dyer, said that no date had been set for the hall’s closure, and that things will continue as normal for as long as possible.

Mr Dyer said: “We will go on as long as we can but we don’t know how long the business will last.

“We are just trying to plan for the future. We will go on as long as we can as a bingo hall.

“Everyone is sad to see it go but unfortunately that is how things are going with bingo in general – especially with online bingo – more people are playing that.

“Our existing customers are aware of the planning application.

“They can see the business for themselves.

“Each time they come there are fewer people.”

The building has been used as a bingo club since the 1960s having originally opened as the Ritz Theatre in 1937. In addition to bingo, it also had a spell briefly as a cinema.

A lady playing at Ace Bingo in January

The bingo hall has reportedly seen its admissions drop by 30% between the years 2006 and 2008. Since 2008, this has declined a further 20%.

In a report compiled by DK Planning and Development, who act on behalf of Leisure which owns Ace Bingo, the authors write: “Quite simply, the use of 391 High Street as a bingo hall has run its course.”

The hall currently employs 14 peoples.

Mr Dyer says that the hall has done well to continue for as long as it has.

“You might find in another year or two we will still be here.”

“It is all ‘what ifs’.

“We have done quite well in being here 16 years as Ace Bingo.”

In 2007, a Gala Bingo opened in Cheltenham, but its spell was short lived and it closed in 2008, thus leaving Ace Bingo as the only bingo hall in Cheltenham.

Local councillor, Jon Walkett supports the residential development at the plot of Ace Bingo.

“Personally I’m not a big fan of the building and there is always the hope that if one new building went up it could encourage others to look at theirs,” he said.

The application to Cheltenham Borough Council’s planning team is now pending consideration.