New Bingo Lounge is Planned in Wallsend
Author: P J
Published: 02/02/2024
The Wallsend-based North East Baby Store is under new ownership. Before long, the prams and baby clothes will make way for tombolas, as LOL Entertainment Ltd has plans to turn the North East location into a bingo lounge. It’s part of an expansion that the brand hopes will meet an increasing demand for bingo, and it follows the seemingly inevitable closure of a nearby Buzz Bingo.
Swapping Bingo for Retail
In 2023, North Tyneside Council received a planning application to turn the former bingo hall into a retail space for discount health and beauty products, as well as toys, games, furnishings, pet food, and more. Nearly 400 rejections were filed, and social media pages were awash with grumbles and groans from frequent players. It makes sense, as it means there will be slim pickings for bingo players in Wallsend. To enjoy their weekly games of bingo, locals will need to travel about 20 minutes to South Shields in one direction and the Metro Centre in the other.
It doesn’t sound like much, and for drivers with the freedom to travel, it’s not a problem. But many of those players are older and retired; they walk or take the bus, and the loss of their local bingo club will hit them hard.
The Buzz Bingo location is still open, but its closure seems imminent.
A New Project for LOL Entertainment Ltd
North East Baby Store sits at 15 High Street West in Wallsend, a few doors down from a Betfred location and a stone’s throw from an Admiral casino. The store is currently closed, but the plans are to build a “female-centred” hub. The goal, it seems, is to create a safe space for members of the community to meet, play, chat, and have fun—an alternative to a night out at the many local pubs.
The operator laid out its dedication to UK responsible gambling laws in the plan, while also highlighting the success of its first bingo club, which launched in Manchester back in early 2022.
The space will be big enough to create a comfortable bingo lounge and it’s also very conveniently located. Not only is it near a casino and betting shop, as mentioned above, but it’s also opposite a KFC, with a Costa Coffee a few steps down from that. The Forum shopping centre is just over the road as well, with plenty of buses running past every day.
Summary: One Out; One In
Buzz Bingo is one of Europe’s biggest gaming brands. It operates dozens of clubs across the United Kingdom, all of which previously flew the flag for Gala Bingo. LOL Entertainment Ltd is not quite as established, but it’s a brand on the rise and thanks to the aforementioned plans, it will have a chance to cement itself as a leading force in the North East’s gaming sector.
Outside of London, the North East has the most bingo clubs of any region in the UK. There are clearly a lot of players, and a large number will no doubt be lining up for a session or two at LOL Bingo’s new venture.
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