Shock reports of Bingo hall in Neath to close

Posted August 29, 2009 in Uncategorized.

It seems like never a day goes by without the news of another bingo hall closing its doors for good.  This time the bingo hall to be sent to the big bingo hall in the sky is the Top Ten Bingo hall, located at The Ropewalk in Neath. The bingo hall is housed in a former cinema and although admittedly is in need of some TLC, is still very much part of the local community and has a loyal bunch of regulars who never miss their regular sessions. The news of the closure has sent the bingo playing regulars reeling and some have been reportedly in tears on hearing the news. Victim of taxation and smoking ban The report of the closure has been published on the local news website ‘This is South Wales’ and has now been confirmed by the Top Ten Holdings head office in St Albans as being factual.  The customers of the Top Ten Bingo hall were told of the shock decision to close the hall during one of their regular bingo sessions and were all said to be devastated by the news.  The reasons given for the closure are the smoking ban and overheads such as the increased taxation levied on the bingo halls imposed in the last budget. Players will need to travel to alternative bingo hall to play The Top Ten Bingo hall is due to close its doors to the bingo playing public on the 20th September when players will need to travel to the Castle Bingo should they wish to continue to enjoy their games of bingo with their friends. The local councillor for the area Mal Gunter added his voice to the many upset bingo players when he said “I know people who go there and they are going to be deeply disappointed, “It’s not just about playing bingo for them.  They have a meal there in the day and socialise with their friends, and they really are all friends there.  A lot of them live alone and for them it’s an escape from loneliness.”  Large Bingo companies have got behind the I’m Backing Bingo Campaign to draw attention to the problems that the whole of the high street bingo industry is currently facing.  Mecca Bingo in conjunction with Gala Bingo and The Bingo Association have been actively campaigning for the government to change the higher taxation levels that the bingo industry now faces.