After more than two decades of welcoming bingo players in South Bristol, local favourite Club 3000 Knowle has closed its doors. However, this isn’t another bad bingo news story, as ahead lies a bold plan for rebirth in a new location.
Goodbye Knowle
The Club 3000 venue at the Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle ceased all operations on Friday, 31 October 2025, having announced its closure in July this year.
In a letter to customers, Club 3000 said:
“We have done everything we could to keep the club open until spring next year but due to our priority of keeping customers and staff safe we must close sooner. Our last day will be Friday 31st October. Although we knew this day would eventually come, we are extremely disappointed and saddened that it is sooner than we had hoped.”
“We truly appreciate and value every one of you — our loyal customers, many of whom we now consider friends. It has been a joy to be part of the Bristol community for the past 25 years as Riva and then Club 3000.”
For many in the local community, it marks the end of an era: the popular bingo hall has been a regular meeting point for bingo fans over the years, attracting thousands of members and establishing itself as Bristlol’s biggest bingo club.
Why the closure of Club 3000 Bingo Knowle?
The root cause is the nearby car park that serves the Broadwalk Shopping Centre. According to local reports, the car park was closed due to safety concerns following a structural survey.
That has triggered a large-scale redevelopment of the site, with a proposed 492-home scheme (the Redcatch Quarter).
A Club 3000 spokesperson said:
“After 12 years of playing bingo at Broadwalk Shopping Centre, Club 3000 has received a minimum four-month notice to vacate the premises due to ongoing issues related to the car park. We are actively engaged in discussions with the management … Our top priority remains supporting our dedicated team of 45 staff and continuing to serve our valued community of over 34,000 members.”
A new home: Bedminster awaits
But it’s not all farewell. Club 3000 has announced the purchase of a plot at 37 Hartcliffe Way in the Bedminster area of south Bristol, a former commercial yard, where it plans to build a purpose-built, modern new bingo venue.
In the words of founder Brian Fraser, founder and CEO of Club 3000 Bingo:
“We’re absolutely delighted to have found and bought our own new home in Bristol, and chuffed to bits we are able to stay in South Bristol where most of our wonderful customers live.”
“We’ve loved being based in Knowle’s Broadwalk Shopping Centre, but it’s time to build a fantastic state-of-the-art bingo club for our customers to enjoy.”
The new club – what to expect
Plans for the new venue are ambitious. The site is around two miles from the current location and will feature:
144 car-parking spaces, including disabled bays
Electric vehicle charging points
Modern landscaping and improvements to the surroundings
Good public transport links: the site is near a bus route, within 500 metres of Parson Street railway station, and has cycle-lane access.
However, Club 3000 cautions that the new venue won’t open overnight. Fraser said:
“We don’t have exact dates for when the new club will be ready to move into. We are seeking to work with Bristol City Council to get our planning application approved as soon as possible. Then we’ll be ready to get on-site and start building our new bingo club.”
The best estimate currently is an 18-to 24-month build time, with a target reopening date of roughly spring 2027.
Interim arrangements and community impact
While the club is in transition, it has advised members of alternative options. The letter to customers noted:
“During the time we are closed, you can still enjoy being part of the Club 3000 Bingo family at our nearby clubs in Cardiff and Cwmbran. We will also be running a free bus service every Saturday to our Cwmbran venue (more details to follow), and of course, you can continue to play bingo with us online.”
For the Bristol community, especially the 34,000-plus registered members referenced in the club’s statement, the closure of the Knowle site will no doubt be felt. But the promise of a new venue is a positive redeployment: “We hope that this will be approved soon so we can begin building, with the goal of reopening in March 2027.”
Looking ahead
Though the closure marks the end of a familiar chapter for South Bristol bingo lovers, the plan for a modern facility in Bedminster signals optimism. If all goes to plan, Club 3000 will emerge with refreshed facilities and contemporary amenities, helping maintain the tradition of bingo in the city. As Brian Fraser put it:
“We’re absolutely delighted … we are able to stay in South Bristol where most of our wonderful customers live.”
For now, fans of the game are encouraged to collect any outstanding account balances or vouchers at the Knowle venue before its closure. The farewell to Broadwalk may be sooner than hoped, but the promise of a state-of-the-art bingo hall in Bedminster offers a new chance to say: “House!”
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