Preserving the fabric of High Street bingo halls

If you’re exclusively an online bingo player then chances are that you’re not going to know a whole lot about this wonderful game’s rich history with bricks and mortar bingo halls. Here in the UK there’s unfortunately been a downward trend in the physical count of bingo halls – let’s explore this further.

Even as a man in my mid-twenties, I have to say that I have a deep appreciation for the game of bingo. This is more than a mere game – it’s a cultural institution. Any notions to the contrary will be rapidly expelled the moment we peer into the annals of bingo halls and the UK in particular. Ever since the  post-war years, this game has been a pillar of strength on which social interaction, gaming pleasure and fabulous jackpots have been enjoyed. I have to concur that few games are able to provide players with as much in one venue as a bricks and mortar bingo hall.

My forte is online bingo gaming. But this commercially viable enterprise has to pay tribute to its founding father – the bricks and mortar bingo hall – that so beautifully adorned our landscape in the UK. Indeed there are many bingo halls remaining in our neck of the woods, but as the e-gaming juggernaut blazes a trail, so the landscape for bingo halls diminishes. That is why it’s essential to give credit where credit is due. High Street bingo halls have dotted our landscape for years and they’re rich with our culture and history. But they are disappearing, slowly but surely.  Big name bingo halls like Gala and Mecca are institutions in the UK. These bingo halls were prolific in the 50s and beyond. The intricate designs, rich tapestries and exciting games at these bingo halls were the solace of every bingo lover.

What’s to be done about the Bingo Hall disappearing caper?

I feel it’s important to understand what may have caused the exodus from bingo halls in the UK. Many bingo gaming pundits point to the smoking ban of 2006, others point to the growing popularity of online bingo rooms. I am opposed to the latter view in that I believe that bingo is a game best enjoyed in both formats and I regularly promote both forms of gaming with a myriad of exciting articles on site. So that leaves us with the issue of the smoking ban. While I find this to be somewhat of an inconvenience to players, I doubt it would severely curtail bingo activity to the extent that bingo halls are closing down (I could be wrong – I’m a non-smoker ).

But for me bingo is about social interaction and people are going to interact whether they’re smoking or not – pub attendance numbers aren’t down are they? Incidentally over 130 bingo halls have closed down – which is why I’m writing this post. Of these halls that closed down, many were smaller establishments with a rich culture and lots of vibe. They were replaced by the commercial monoliths that pepper our landscape today.

So let’s spare a thought for our fallen halls – their memories will remain. I’m sure of that!

Image Credit: raysto

About Jeremy Stersky