Bingo Hall in Pitsea announces final bingo game - Online Bingo News

Another UK bingo hall has announced that it will be shutting down. The Gala Bingo hall in Pitsea, Essex announced that it will be hosting its last session of bingo on the 27th of July, 2009. The bingo hall will be closed after that, permanently.

The Pitsea bingo hall, owned by Gala Bingo is one of the latest victims of the crippling financial burden on the UK bingo industry, a good part of which is due to the raised taxes on bingo halls. Bingo halls across the UK have been under severe financial strain with the global financial crisis which saw a drop in business.

The smoking ban imposed by the government saw a drastic drop in customer attendance. In fact some bingo halls even attempted to have open air bingo sessions so that members could have a cigarette as they played. The increase in bingo tax in April has been the final nail in the coffin for numerous bingo halls all over the country.

Bingo halls have been shutting down practically on a weekly basis succumbing to these very severe financial pressures.

"We are deeply disappointed that another bingo club has become a casualty of the tax increase and the smoking ban.  Bingo clubs are part of the social fabric of society and this is something the Government should preserve, not destroy," said Roger Cooper owner of the nearby Rio Canvey bingo club. 

"This is a sexist, ageist and blatantly unfair tax, it is great to see the bingo players, general public and many MPs are behind us, but the Government Ministers are the decision makers and they need to act fast before it’s too late."  Staff from this neighbouring bingo hall regularly come over to the Pitsea bingo hall to play as they are restricted from playing in the bingo hall where they are themselves employed.

The closure of this Gala Bingo hall in Pitsea puts more jobs at risk, even though Gala Bingo will make every effort to absorb as many staff as possible into other positions within the company.

Written by Rhea Williams for Bingostreet – bringing you daily bingo news and updates on events in the world of online bingo UK.