Bingo news
Kingsway Bingo Hall to Shut Down as a Result of Unreasonable Taxes and Smoking Ban
On March 8, 2007, the well known Kingsway Bingo Hall located in Huddersfield Road, is facing uncertainty after the plans to change it to an upmarket bar and a restaurant were put into proposal before the council.
The Barracuda Group Ltd. has given their plans to the Calderdale Council's planning division to propose a change of use for the bingo hall to a bar and restaurant named "Smith and Jones". If the plans are approved, it could mean that the final bingo game could already be in the making.
The Barracuda Group, which manages the famed 90 "Smith and Jones" bar across Britain is also the owner of the Varsity and South African patterned bar "Barracuda", a popular student bar. The company is also planning to invest around 1 million pounds in the Brighouse plan along with a promise to build other entertainment facilities in town.
The planned development will create around 35 full time and part time jobs. The establishment will also be open from mid-morning until evening. In the report presented by the Barracuda Group to the D2 planning of Bristol, the company claims that they will readily help create a great tourist destination in the center of town that will draw more people to come into Brighouse.
The "Smith and Jones" brands are famous for being an up-to-date and modern bar that serves quality food. Most bars by the "Smith and Jones" brand use salvage furniture's and fittings. But if this plan is approved, it will mean an end of a dream for most bingo players who play at the bingo hall. With about 200 clubs across Britain, that are under the threat of closure, a national campaign to save the game of bingo, led by "Birds of a Feather' actress Linda Robson, was recently launched.
The group claims that most bingo clubs are under threat because of unreasonable taxes and the smoking ban. The British Bingo Industry currently has over 22,000 people under their employ and pays around 270 million pounds in total taxes each year.
Nonetheless, the group claims that many small time bingo halls are threatened. Robson said that Bingo is an integral part of every community and closing down the bingo halls will affect the familial spirit that every community enjoys.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Steve Bowen