Where have all the bingo halls gone?

There was a time when Friday nights in Britain were synonymous with the bingo hall experience. Numbers were called, cups of tea were poured, and friendships were forged across rows of plastic chairs. Today, however, these once-vibrant halls are disappearing from our high streets, leaving behind a trail of memories, echoes of laughter, and in some cases, beautiful old buildings that narrate their own story.

The decline has been slow but steady. In the 1960s, bingo halls drew millions of members, their popularity soaring after the 1960 Gaming Act made clubs official, thereby legitimising and boosting the bingo industry. But the tide began to turn. The national lottery in the 1990s chipped away at the audience, while home entertainment and streaming services meant fewer people felt the need to head out. Then came the smoking ban in 2007, a huge blow at the time, given that around half of all players were smokers.

COVID was another nail in the coffin. Figures show that there were 335 licensed bingo halls before the pandemic. Today, just 253 remain. Many didn’t survive lockdown closures, and when energy bills spiked afterwards, the sheer size of the buildings made them costly to heat and light. For some owners, it was the final straw.

And yet, for the regulars, the closures cut deeper than just losing a night’s entertainment. Many describe bingo as their lifeline, a place of friendship and community. The emotional connection is one side of the story. The buildings themselves are another. Some of the most remarkable bingo halls weren’t purpose-built at all, but grand cinemas from the 1930s and beyond. Places like the Gala Bingo in Wandsworth, a Grade I listed former Granada cinema, or the Spanish City in Whitley Bay, which began life as a theatre before its bingo years. These halls, with their art deco flourishes and sweeping auditoriums, were rescued from dereliction by the rise of bingo in the mid-20th century. In some cases, when the bingo stopped, the buildings were saved again by redevelopment. Others, sadly, still sit in limbo.

However, the game itself has not vanished. On the contrary, it has transitioned to the digital realm, with people now logging in from their homes to enjoy the latest bingo games online, rather than making the trip to their local hall. The industry’s remote gambling yield has skyrocketed from less than half a million pounds in 2009 to well over £170 million in recent years, while physical venues continue to dwindle.

However, not everything about the shift online can replicate the charm of a night out. Some clubs are reinventing the experience for a younger audience, blending cabaret, comedy, and cocktails with a bingo twist. These venues, often located in trendy city neighbourhoods, are a hit with hen and stag parties, but the frequency of visits doesn’t match the dedication of older generations who would attend weekly.

So, where have all the bingo halls gone? Some are now cinemas once again, like the Gala Bingo in Wandsworth, or entertainment venues, like the Spanish City in Whitley Bay. Some are boarded up, awaiting new life. Others live on in the memories of those who sat side by side, tickets in hand, hoping the next number called might just be theirs.