Premier Bingo, a small independent chain of three bingo halls in Scotland, has shut up shop on all three venues and gone into administration.
Announced via the Facebook pages of the three clubs in Alloa, Cowdenbeath, and Perth, Premier Bingo declared closures “with immediate effect”.
The post read:
“Customer Announcement.
Due to circumstances outwith our control we regret to announce that Premier Bingo will cease trading immediately.
All clubs are now closed and the company is in administration.
We will make a statement after this process has finished.”
Premier Bingo Ltd is a private limited company incorporated in Feb 2021. The small chain of independent clubs is owned by Peter Connor, who has three dissolved businesses in the pub/hospitality sector behind him.
The last published accounts on 31/12/2021 show a cash in the bank balance of £64606, but creditors owed £141,619, leaving a shareholder deficit of £65740.
Having opened during the pandemic, no doubt the cost of living crisis and soaring energy costs played a major factor in Premier Bingo’s demise. Just recently, Majestic Bingo was plunged into administration with almost 150 jobs set to be axed.
The shock closures of the popular bingo halls now mean that the residents of Perth and Cowdenbeath look set to be left without any bingo halls at all in the area to get their bingo pleasure. The Premier Bingo Alloa venue is also one of the few locations in Alloa which hosts a public access defibrillator for community use.
No official comment has been made from Peter Connor as yet, and posts have been limited on the Facebook pages.
source: https://www.facebook.com/PremierBingoCowdenbeath
Sadness and Shock
However, as expected, the shock closures were greeted with surprise and sadness, with particular empathy towards the staff, who seemed to have been highly liked and appreciated.
One commentator said of the closures: “Shocking best bingo around with fantastic and friendly staff”
Another added: “Gutted for the staff, they made the place what it was”
Scottish Bingo Under Threat
The latest closures continue the sad demise of bingo across Scotland. Closed longer during the COVD-19 Pandemic than bingo halls in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, many Scottish bingo halls were saved because of a well-orchestrated funding campaign launched by the National Bingo Association, which Bingo Daily was proud to play a part in.
The Save Scottish Bingo campaign culminated in a lifeline being sent to Scottish Bingo Halls.
Miles Baron, CEO of The Bingo Association in Scotland, said in April 2021:
“As a result of thousands of bingo players responding to our call for support, the Bingo Association in Scotland has recently been informed that our Bingo is my Lifeline campaign has been successful, and all licensed bingo clubs in Scotland will receive a one-off grant in recognition of the challenges caused by their sustained closure over the last year.”
Now, however, after a succession of club closures from independents and the larger retail chains North of the border, does Scottish Bingo need saving again?
The post Premier Bingo Shuts Up Shop and Goes into Administration appeared first on BingoDaily.