Church Takes Bingo Hall

A former Mecca Bingo hall that has fallen victim to the decline in popularity of the industry is to be taken over by a church group. The Mecca Bingo hall in Islington, North West London, has been taken over by a branch of the evangelical church and will now be used as a meeting place for local Christian church goers.

The Mecca Bingo hall in Islington was closed two and a half years ago, on the twenty fifth of March 2007, after a decline in the number of customers attending. The business, on the Essex Road, had seen a sharp fall in the amount of profit that was being made. Eventually it was decided that it was no longer viable to keep the bingo hall open, as it was losing so much money. The Rank Group, which runs the Mecca Bingo brand, had previously said that it would cost far too much money to modernise the building, and that this was the only way that it would be able to stay open. It signified the beginning of a number of closures of bingo halls that have occurred over the last couple of years. Most of these halls have been forced to close because of the rising popularity of online bingo and game playing, which has caused less people to turn out to traditional bingo halls. Other bingo halls have been closed as a result of the recession, or because of the smoking ban that was implemented in July 2007.

Although the hall will now be used by the evangelical church group, there have been various discussions over what else it could have been used as and ironically the church will offer free bingo one night of the week. There have been various possible owners considered, and possibilities for new ventures have included a night club and a jazz café. The hall, which was designed in the nineteen twenties art deco style, had been vandalised during the period when it was derelict and out of use. However, it will now be redecorated and restored to its former glory before the church takes over its use.

Although the hall will now be used by the evangelical church group, there have been various discussions over what else it could have been used as and ironically the church will offer free bingo one night of the week. There have been various possible owners considered, and possibilities for new ventures have included a night club and a jazz café. The hall, which was designed in the nineteen twenties art deco style, had been vandalised during the period when it was derelict and out of use. However, it will now be redecorated and restored to its former glory before the church takes over its use.