Sad Goodbyes

Preston’s much loved bingo hall is due to close this coming Sunday. Buckingham Bingo is due to close down this week after being open for only two years.

Fourteen of the twenty-seven staff will lose their jobs, whilst the remaining employees will be redeployed to other sites. Bosses say the closure is because the bingo hall is no longer ‘financially viable’. Bosses have said all their other sites are currently trading ahead of the financial forecast.

The hall was opened two years ago by popular Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby in the hit show.

The hall had a capacity of 1,000 and had 12,000 members on its books. Also, in September 2007 bingo caller, Allen Musa, was given the prestigious title of North West’s Caller of the year.

Buckingham Bingo still have other sites in Preston, which they say they have no intention of closing despite recording annual losses of £88.7 million.

It seems that with online bingo becoming increasingly popular, many of the popular bingo companies are downsizing in properties and increasing their presence online.

30th March 2009