Bradford City Centre Management, part of Bradford Council’s Department of Regeneration and Culture, has opposed the plans which would see the former Woolwich bank in Kirkgate turned into a bingo hall.

London Investments, which owns the building, has applied to the council for a change of use to allow the building, which is currently a clothing store, to be turned into a licensed bingo hall. London Investments said that the bingo hall would be run by one of “the UK’s leading bingo hall operators.”

Councillor David Green, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration and economy, told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, “Kirkgate is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in the city centre and I believe the shops there should be used for retail. There are more than sufficient bingo and amusement centres in the city centre and if we are to continue working to revive the retail offer in Bradford it is important that we try and bring as many of the empty units back into use as shops rather than amusement arcades or bingo halls, because I think it would be a lost opportunity for the city centre.”

source: Telegraph and Argus

Land based bingo halls have been struggling in recent years to attract customers and compete with the seemingly ever growing and popular online bingo sites. They have also had to deal with the smoking ban and the deep recession.

News like this will not help the reputation of bingo halls and if older players don’t feel safe on their way to and from their preferred bingo halls, they will lose more of their core customers.

It is not known whether the attacker was present in the bingo hall or overheard conversation while travelling on the same bus, or was simply an opportunist. Warwickshire police announced that they are actively seeking the attacker.

Although attacks like this are rare, it is unlikely that the victim will return to play bingo as she will fear for her safety every time she makes the trip.

Gary Shanks, manager of the Mecca Bingo hall in Ellesmere Port said, “It’s inspiring to see how generous people have been, especially given how difficult this year has been financially for many. Our success is without doubt down to the members of the team around me and to our customers. Everyone has been dedicated to doing their bit to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. We just wouldn’t have achieved this without them.”

According to an article in the Ellesmere Port Pioneer, fundraising activities throughout the year included holding a Blooming Great Tea Party for customers, taking part in the Great Daffodil Appeal and other fundraising initiatives.

The money raised will all go to help fund Marie Curie Nurses who care for terminally ill people in their own homes.

Local Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraiser Siobhan Heffernan was delighted with the amount of money raised by the bingo hall customers and said that “Every £20 raised will help provide an hour of care for terminally ill people”.

Across the country, Mecca Bingo members and customers are helping to raise a total of £200,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, which will provide 10,000 hours of nursing care for cancer sufferers.

Hosted in a very old church in the city, the event follows the success of the car maker’s London-based events (Vauxhall Skate, Vauxhall Ice Skate and of course Vauxhall Motors Bowling Club this summer), which have proved hugely popular.

According to an article on savemoneyoncars.co.uk, the event organisers have tracked down a “mysterious ,yet infamous, bingo sect who can be found travelling in a pack from New York to Nottingham, Las Vegas to Leeds spreading their own bespoke bingo vision to the unsuspecting public,” to make an appearance at the special event.

The special Corsa has been covered by a special pastel bingo sheet, with over 2,000 balls stuck on to the car by hand.

Tickets to this bingo event are free, but the capacity of the venue is strictly limited to 500.

Interim CEO Neil Goulden recently announced he would be stepping down from the board after over ten years at the company. Gala Coral moved quickly to hire Carl Leaver as new Chief Executive, while they also hired Debenhams boss Rob Templeman in the role of non-executive chairman. Goulden will remain active in the running of Gala Coral until January 2011 to ensure a smooth handover period to the new bosses.

Commenting on his departure and the new chiefs, Neil Goulden said, “I would like to warmly welcome Carl and Rob to the Gala Coral Group. They both have huge reputations built upon a successful track record in the retail and leisure sectors. I have no doubt that they will have a significant positive impact on the Group.

I feel the time is now right to step down from the group. Having successfully led the group through its recent financial restructuring, and helped to recruit a top-notch chairman and CEO to work alongside our CFO, Gary Hughes, I know that I am leaving the company in good shape and in very capable hands.”

Goulden will continue to do work for Gala Coral in a consultant capacity for three years after he leaves in January. The company also rewarded his incredible contribution to the development of Gala Coral from “number two bingo operator in the UK to the leading gambling company in Britain” by inviting him to become chairman Emeritus of the group.

Gala Coral has over 3.5 million active customers in the UK and has around ten per cent of the UK gambling market from online bingo to land-based casinos. The Gala Coral Group is the only gambling company in the UK with significant businesses in the bookmaking, bingo and casino markets, both on the high street and online.

With bingo now played by many more people than it previously was thanks to the invention of online bingo and popular sites such as Foxy Bingo, Crown Bingo and Jackpot Joy giving people access to bingo games much more readily and from the comfort of their own home, many keen players will be unaware of the interiors of bingo halls and their quirks and nostalgic detail.

Inside the halls he visited, Hess found some interesting old characters, tables covered in lucky charms, slot machines everywhere and a longing for the old days of bingo in the sixties when it took of in the U.K.

Hess’ striking black and white portraits of bingo players will be complimented with recordings of conversations in the halls over the past five years and some trinkets that he managed to find in his five year journey around the bingo halls of Britain.

source: The Independent

In 2008, the owners of Buckingham Bingo, Alchemy Partners effectively sold its stake in the company to Barclays Bank in return for a waiver on its debt. Now, according to the Manchester Evening News, Buckingham Bingo have sought advice from corporate finance specialists KPMG to explore all options for the company’s future, which does include the sale of the company.

Alchemy Partners purchased the company for £90 million in 2006 and the value of Buckingham Bingo is thought to have plummeted since then so any potential buyers would only have to pay a fraction of the price.

Buckingham Bingo attracts more than 1.7 million players per year to its bingo halls and online site, but it has suffered, like many bingo companies, during the recession, after the smoking ban and the introduction to gross profit tax to replace bingo duty. All of these factors reduced Buckingham Bingo’s revenue enough to put it at risk of closure.

KPMG said of Buckingham Bingo’s future, “There can be no certainty in relation to the continued support of the bank and therefore the directors have concluded that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt upon the group and parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

If Buckingham Bingo were to be taken over by a new buyer there would be risk to the jobs of 350 employees at 11 different sites across northern England.

The Conservative politician recently visited a Beacon Bingo hall in his constituency to find out first hand how bingo halls and the industry as a whole was being damaged by such excessive taxation. Bingo halls currently pay a higher rate of tax than high street bookmakers.

Mr Binley told the Northampton Chronicle, “Bingo is one of the least damaging forms of gambling and yet it pays one of the highest rates of taxes. Most of the people who play bingo use it as an opportunity for social interaction. The previous Government created 24 hour casinos and wanted to place more of them in many of our large cities and towns, even though all the evidence suggested they were one of the most damaging forms of gambling. Yet they placed a granny tax on bingo enthusiasts.”

Whether Binley succeeds in his bid to have bingo halls tax made fairer is another question, especially as the recent budget made no changes to the system.

Rank Group operates 35 casinos and over 100 bingo halls in Britain has seen the number of players visiting and playing increase. Its Mecca Bingo halls and Grosvenor Casinos have proven to be very popular with the general public and regular players alike.

This popularity was highlighted by the fact that customer numbers increased by nearly 12 per cent to more than 2.5 million during the first half of this year, with average spend per visit also increasing by 1.5 per cent to £22.50.

Rank Group CEO Ian Burke said, “All of our businesses have achieved growth in revenue as a result of increased numbers of customers and customer visits.”

In other news, Rank is planning to spend £500 million to purchase five new casinos in England and five other gambling venues over the next two years.

It has been reported that Ian Burke suggested that the company is looking into opening a casino in Newham, which was the first borough to win one of the government’s casino licenses as part of the 2005 Gambling Act.

Tel: 01685 374422
Fax: 01685 371163

Email: merthyrenquiries@castlebingo.co.uk

Other Information

The Castle club in Merthyr Tydfil is at the heart of the community, where our members come together to create a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

A ‘heads of the valley’ club which is head and shoulders above the rest.

The staff and management are here to ensure you have a fantastic visit, every visit!

Tel: 02920 221230
Fax: 02920 388421

Email: cantonenquiries@castlebingo.co.uk

Other Information

Castle Bingo Canton was the first purpose built bingo club in the UK. The club is located only a stone’s throw from the magnificent Millenium Stadium and Cardiff city centre is within walking distance. The club has two floors for bingo with a bar and coffee bar facility on each floor.

Mecca Bingo halls struggled in January due to the hard winter throughout the U.K, the poor weather served to reduce numbers of people going out to play bingo.

Describing the early part of 2010 as “encouraging”,  a statement from Rank Group outlined their confidence in reaching its prospective targets for the full year and long-term growth.

As a whole the group saw like for like sales increase by four per cent in the 16 weeks to April 18th and a 10 per cent rise in total revenue.

Rank owns 103 bingo halls and 34 casinos all over Great Britain and has reinstated its dividend after a better than forecasted improvement in pre-tax profits.

This deal is  the first bingo investment made by Praesepe, formerly Aldgate Capital, and as part of the deal,  Beacon Excecutive Chairman Brian Mattingley has joined the board of Praesepe as an executive director for business development.

Nick Harding, CEO of Praesepe started out his career managing a Showboat arcade and has also managed a Beacon Bingo hall in Hounslow. He said, “This is a transformational deal for Praesepe as we continue to deliver our strategy. Beacon Entertainments gives us greater scale in our business, which will help deliver shareholder value, and takes us into the mainstream bingo sector, which we believe is poised for growth.”

Normally when a payout is made at a bingo hall the claimant has to be the winner and must have their winning ticket and membership number if they are to be given the prize. This procedure was completely forgotten at Mecca Bingo Southport and the cash prize was given to a woman who had no right to it.

Staff at the bingo hall were shocked at their mistake when the real jackpot winner came in to claim her prize. The bingo club knew it was their responsibility and paid the rightful winner her jackpot prize.

The police have been informed about the con artist and have looked through CCTV footage and interviewed local residents to see if they can identify who it was that took the money.

The player that won the prize, named only as Anne, was playing the Beacon 24 jackpot game where you have 24 chances to win five different coloured jackpots and the bingo card is priced at £2. Anne won her amazing prize after completing the red line on her ticket.

Anne, from Seagrave, has played bingo at the Beacon Bingo hall in Loughborough for twenty years and normally goes there three or four times a week. She said that she wants to use her new found wealth to treat her family to something special.

General Manager at Beacon Bingo Loughborough, Kevin Farnsworth said “Everyone at the club was delighted to see one of our regular customers win such a fantastic jackpot amount. The atmosphere was electric. We are a very lucky club and Anne is just one of many large winners over the last few years, who have won on both our Beacon 24 Multi Jackpot ticket and also the National Bingo Game”

Beacon Bingo recently started an online bingo offering and will surely give online players equally good prizes as they do in their halls.

The deal would see Gala Coral, which also owns a string of bingo halls, casinos and 1,650 high street bookmakers in the U.K, fall under the control of its mezzanine finance providers, Apollo Management, Cerberus Capital Management, Goldman Sachs and Park Square Capital. Apollo Management will become the principal shareholder with around a quarter of the shares.

The current deal on the table would see a group of private investors taking on around £550m of mezzanine debt (a riskier type of debt). The investors would also boost the group with a £200m cash injection in return for a controlling stake in Gala Bingo. This would allow the company to free up some cash to keep the company running. The group hopes that the cash boost will mean that they won’t have to make the huge job cuts like they did last year, which included the scaling down of it’s land based bingo operation in Gala Bingo halls.

Last year, Gala Coral was forced to refinance after the smoking ban, the recession and big tax increases hit its bingo and casino businesses hard. Like many of its biggest rival companies, it has closed several venues and got rid of hundreds of workers.

Gala bingo, somewhat contrary to its financial struggle, is still performing well in the online bingo market. With a great array of  games and a high deposit bonus the online bingo site is certainly giving players an excellent deal to play at Gala Bingo.

The winner, who preferred to remain anonymous, had an incredible run of luck when playing at the Staines Road branch of Gala Bingo. First she hit her full house for £3,000, and at the same time she hit the “High 5″ jackpot, which catapulted her winnings up to £128,000.

The luck for the other players in the hall at the time was also about to change as this anonymous winner called for her full house. The “High 5″ jackpot means that when a player calls ‘house’ on the drawing of the number five, half of the overall jackpot is shared between all players in the hall at the time of the win. This meant that a total of 32 players shared the remaining £125,000, taking home just under £4,000 apiece.

This incredible win is the biggest individual prize ever given out after a “High 5″ win at a Gala Bingo hall.

The manager of the club in Hounslow, Rick Espey was delighted for the player who won, he said, “”The winner is a player who has been coming to the club for years. We were all so excited for her when she shouted ‘house’. The whole club was clapping and cheering and the atmosphere was electric. Because of the way that the High 5 game works, everyone who was playing that afternoon won some money, which made it especially nice.”

The government statistics indicate that since 1997 (the year of Tony Blair’s New Labour election win) the number of bingo halls in Great Britain has fallen by nearly 200 from 650 to the current figue of 460. This figure is in contrast with the number of high street casinos, which has increased by 27 per cent to 140.

These statistics were released not long after the owners of Mecca Bingo, Rank Group PLC announced that their bingo halls had experienced a recent upturn in total revenue but a slight fall in profits.

Mecca Bingo halls profits fell from £37.9million in 2008 to £32.3million last year. This is a fall of nearly 15 per cent and the reason behind it, according to  Rank Group, is the increased levels of taxation brought in by the government. The bingo hall’s performance was also adversely affected by the poor weather at the start and end of 2009.

Following this, the owners of Mecca Bingo, Rank Group PLC have called for a simplification of the gambling tax system in the UK and a system that will increase fairness for bingo halls, casinos and online gaming companies.

Ian Burke, Rank Group Chief Executive said, “At the moment the gaming and betting activities of UK consumers are subject to a patchwork quilt of taxation, without any apparent logic or relationship to social policy.” He continued his argument by adding, “It is particularly concerning that the current system of taxation seems to be undermining the aims of the Gambling Act by imposing the highest rates of duty on those venues which provide the greatest degree of supervision and have the lowest rates of underage gambling.”

Under current government legislation there are seven different tax regimes covering all online and offline gaming activities governed by the Gambling Act. All internet betting that is licenced offshore faces no taxation, UK based internet betting has a flat rate of 15 per cent for all types of gaming. Betting at bookmakers, bingo halls and casinos has many different rates.

The system proposed by Rank Group will mean that there is a 15 per cent rate on all gambling activities currently governed by the Gambling Act, including sports betting, poker, bingo, casino games, football pools and amusement machines.  This will not only simplify the current system hugely, it will also mean that UK companies providing online gaming will not be penalised by the fact that offshore domiciled companies providing similar gambling activities have no duty to pay.

It has been suggested that the UK Government could increase its tax takings from the gambling sector by imposing this new, simplified rate of duty.

The revamp is expected to take until early April this year and will create 18 new jobs on top of the 40 that there are currently. Two bingo callers will be employed instead of one and there will be table service in the refurbished hall.

Local players can look forward to playing in a brand new bingo complex, which will include a lounge where customers can relax with friends, enjoy some food, have a drink brought to their table and play bingo.

A spokesperson for Mecca Bingo said, “The site at Berryden, Aberdeen is a huge complex which can seat up to 2,000 players so we are going to create a new social area where people can have fun while still playing bingo. At the moment the hall is so big, people have to be very quiet to hear the numbers called.”

The hall will remain open during the day and evenings so as to not disturb the daily running of the hall. The majority of the building work and renovations will be carried out at night time.

The deal, which is likely to be approved within two weeks would see the hedge fund group take control of 75 per cent of shares in Gala Coral. This would allow for a further investment of £150 million in the operator, and full control of the company.

Remaining shareholders would be left with a small stake in the company.

Gala has cited the smoking ban, tighter regulation and the financial crisis followed by recession as the main reasons for its current high debt levels of near to £2.5 billion.

Tel: 020 77015374
Fax: 020 72525774

Email: Camberwell.Club@galabingo.co.uk

Manager: Logi Logendra

Opening Times

Mon-Sat: 11.00 – 23.00
Sun: 12.00 – 23.00

Session Times

Mon-Sat: 12.00, 13.30, 19.30
Sun: 13.30, 19.30

Session Prices

• Monday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Monday Afternoon: FREE OR £5 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Monday Evening: £1 for 6 or £5 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Tuesday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Tuesday Afternoon: 4-Line Main books £8 for 4
• Tuesday Evening: 4-Line Main books £10 for 4
• Wednesday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Wednesday Afternoon: FREE OR £5 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Wednesday Evening: £2.25 a set
• Thursday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Thursday Afternoon: £6 for 6 Main session
• Thursday Evening: £6 for 6 Main session
• Friday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Friday Afternoon: FREE OR £5 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Friday Evening: £2.50 a set
• Saturday Morning: 2Page Link £1 for 6
• Saturday Afternoon: £1.50 a set
• Saturday Evening: £2 for 6 or £10 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Sunday Afternoon: FREE or £5 SUPERBOOK for Double money
• Sunday Evening: £3 a set

Facilities

• Bar
• Diner
• Slot Machines
• Disabled Facilities
• Parking: Car park at rear of building. Access in Medlar Street.

Directions

Car park is accessed by turning into Medlar Street by Fiat Dealer from Camberwell New Road only (Medlar Street One Way) Car Park is situated behind the club.

Tel: 01226 779102

Email: Barnsley.New.Street.Club@galabingo.co.uk

Manager: Kevin Scarry

Opening Times

Mon: 17.00 – 22.30
Tue, Thurs, Fri: 11.30 – 22.30
Wed, Sat: 10.30 – 22.30
Sun: 12.30 – 22.30

Session Times

Mon: 18.45
Tue, Thurs, Fri: 12.45, 18.45
Wed, Sat: 11.40, 11.50, 12.45, 18.45
Sun: 13.45, 18.45

Session Prices

• Monday Evening: £10 All In
• Tuesday Afternoon: £3 for 6 Early & Main
• Tuesday Evening: £4 for 6 Early & Main
• Wednesday Morning: £3.00
• Wednesday Afternoon: £10 All In
• Wednesday Evening: £10 All In
• Thursday Afternoon: Free or £5 Main Session
• Thursday Evening: £10 for 6 Early & Main
• Friday Afternoon: £2 Earlies. £5 Main
• Friday Evening: £10 for 6 Early & Main
• Saturday Morning: £3.00
• Saturday Afternoon: £10 for 6 Early & Main
• Saturday Evening: £10 for 6 Early & Main
• Sunday Afternoon: Free or £5 Main Session
• Sunday Evening: £12 for 6 Early & Main

Facilities

• Bar
• Diner
• Slot Machines
• Disabled Facilities
• Parking: 34 Bays

Directions

Leave M1 at junction 37 – follow A628 (Dodworth Rd.) into Barnsley. At the roundabout take the 4th exit sign posted Pontefract (A628). Follow signs for A628 Pontefract on dual carriageway. the club is on the right after the Morrisons supermarket.

Tel: 01670 812106

Email: Ashington.Club@galabingo.co.uk

Manager: Bryan Maughan

Opening Times

Mon-Sat: 12.00 – 22.00
Sat: 10.30 – 22.00
Sun: 17.00 – 22.00

Session Times

Mon-Fri: 13.20, 19.20
Sat: 11.30, 13.30, 19.20
Sun: 19.20

Session Prices

• Monday Afternoon: Main Session £8.00 Includes High 5
• Monday Evening: £13.00 Full Monty – Nothing else to buy
• Tuesday Afternoon: Main Session £8.00 Includes High 5
• Tuesday Evening: Lucky 7 Bingo £7.00 High 5 & Golden Ticket Extra
• Wednesday Afternoon: Main Session £8.00 Includes High 5
• Wednesday Evening: Main Session £12.00 Includes High 5 Big Money!
• Thursday Afternoon: Main Session £8.00 Includes High 5
• Thursday Evening: FREE OR SUPERBOOK for £5.00
• Friday Afternoon: Main Session £8.00 Includes High 5
• Friday Evening: £14.00 Includes early, High 5 & Golden Ticket
• Saturday Morning: £4.00 For 4′s or 6′s Incl. 8 pages of bingo!!
• Saturday Afternoon: Main Session £10.00 Includes High 5
• Saturday Evening: Main Session £12.00 Includes High 5
• Sunday Evening: Main Session £12.50 Includes High 5

Facilities

• Bar
• Diner
• Slot Machines
• Disabled Facilities
• Parking: 20 Bays

Directions

Follow A1(M) North past Washington Services – take either of two right lanes to Tyne Tunnel – through the Tunnel follow North signs for Ashington – take A189 past Blyth to the island – turn left sign-posted North Seaton Village – follow road until reaching The Elephant public housel – turn right into Milburn Road – carry on until you reach one-way system which veers to left – take 2nd right into Bolsover Street then 2nd right by garages which goes back onto Milburn Road – opposite is entrance to Club car park.- Friday

Tel: 01228 547283

Email: Carlisle.Club@galabingo.co.uk

Manager: Alan Bell

Opening Times

Mon-Sat: 10.30 – 23.00
Sun: 12.00 – 23.00

Session Times

Mon-Sat: 11.30, 13.00, 19.00
Sun: 13.00, 19.00

Session Prices

• Monday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Monday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Monday Evening: £10 Main Session
• Tuesday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Tuesday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Tuesday Evening: £10 Main Session
• Wednesday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Wednesday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Wednesday Evening: £10 Main Session
• Thursday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Thursday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Thursday Evening: £10 Main Session
• Friday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Friday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Friday Evening: £12 Main Session
• Saturday Morning: £3 (Party Extra £1)
• Saturday Afternoon: £10 Main session
• Saturday Evening: £12 Main Session
• Sunday Afternoon: FREE or £6 SUPERBOOK
• Sunday Evening: £12 Main Session

Facilities

• Bar
• Diner
• Slot Machines
• Disabled Facilities
• Parking: 200 Shared with the Ibis Hotel. Members playing Bingo can park for free, but must obtain a parking permit from reception. (permits required from 5am – 9pm).