As we enter the final week of operations for Mecca Bingo Doncaster, Mecca Bingo Hull Cecil, and Mecca Bingo Chester, it appears that ANOTHER Mecca Bingo is set to close its doors for good this week.
BingoDaily has received unconfirmed reports that the iconic Mecca Bingo Sale is set to close this Sunday, February 26th, permanently. This is the same day as the other Mecca Bingo branch closures. However, it is understood that no official word has been said to the customers about the surprise closure.
According to customers at Mecca Bingo Sale, recent mail advising of club promotions has Mecca Bingo Bolton as the club holding the promotions, not the Sale venue. It is also understood that consultation to close the Sale venue has been ongoing for several weeks, and the majority of employees at the historic club, who Rank consulted, will be made redundant,
BingoDaily has contacted Mecca Bingo for confirmation of the closure and to find out if there will be any further ‘surprise’ closures now or in the future. There remains much speculation that Mecca Bingo Dewsbury could also be up for the chopping block next.
At the time of publication, BingoDaily has not yet received a response to our questions, and we will, of course, update the story when further information is made available.
The End of An Era for Sale
The iconic building on Washway Road, Sale, has a rich and interesting history.
Sale Lido
The Mecca Bingo Sale started life as a Lido on the 10th of July, 1935. The Lido complex included a 130 feet long covered swimming pool; a domed solarium for natural and artificial sunbathing; a café/restaurant; and multiple lock-up shops.
During the winter, the swimming pool could be covered, and a dance floor formed. The front elevation was resplendent in cream and green faience. In the 1960s, The Sale Lido was taken over by Mecca and re-named the Locarno Ballroom, later Mecca Bingo.
Sale Lido
The yet-to-be-confirmed closure of the Mecca Bingo Sale will be both a surprise and expected. Mecca Bingo owners of the Rank Group (LON:RNK) are financially struggling. Having plunged into losses at the end of last year, the UK bingo and casino operator is looking to cut costs by closing down its branches.
Some critics have described the closures as short-sighted. Foot fault in the clubs actually increased in the last half of 2022. However, punters were spending less as the cost of living crisis hurt people’s pockets, and soaring energy costs hit both the bingo clubs and their patrons.
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