There will be no full houses at a Rotherham bingo hall anytime soon after operators announced that it will not be re-opening.
Mecca Bingo has confirmed that its venue on Corporation Street in Rotherham town centre is closing permanently.
It is thought that the lease on 26,000 sq ft property was due to expire this year.
The Rank Group, which owns Mecca, has seen venues closed during the Covid pandemic as a result of lockdowns, tiering closures and curfew, with revenues halved and losses incurred. Mecca's like-for-like revenue comparison for between the six months ended 31 December 2020 and the same period in the previous year was down 56%.
Just last month, John O'Reilly, CEO of Rank, said: "Our business has inevitably been heavily impacted by the pandemic but, with the strong support and dedication of our colleagues, we are now very much looking forward to reopening our casino and bingo venues, welcoming back our customers and providing the great entertainment and omni-channel service in a COVID safe environment we know they enjoy."
However, a statement on the Mecca website this week , said: "It's with a very heavy heart we have to announce that Mecca Bingo Rotherham will be closing permanently.
"We want to take the opportunity to thank you, our wonderful customers, and our team for the MECCA-tastic years! Thank you for your loyalty and all the great memories we've made together.
"Our closest club Sheffield Flat Street opens from 17th May, and we hope to welcome you all there to keep making great memories and to bring you the usual Mecca fun."
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The building, which was previously a cinema was due to go up for auction twice in 2018 with a guide price of £875,000 - £925,000 and then £800,000 but the lots were withdrawn twice.
The substantial building, currently set out as a bingo hall, includes a reception area, gaming hall and ancillary and office accommodation over lower ground, ground, first and mezzanine floors.
Auction documents showed that the property is entirely let to Mecca Bingo Limited until 2021 at a current rent of £125,950 per annum. The tenant had an option to extend the lease.
The property last sold in 2014, when it went for £880,000, also at auction.
The building, which auctioneers said "may lend itself to a variety of uses and redevelopment subject to obtaining all the necessary consents," is situated alongside the key regeneration site in the town centre - Forge Island.
Originally opened in December 1934 as the Regal Cinema the building was commissioned by Thomas Wade Cinemas Ltd of Wath-upon-Dearne, and designed by Messrs Blackmore and Sykes, Architects, of Hull. It had seating for 1,825, and was fully equipped for stage performances with three dressing rooms, and a theatre organ.
The site became the Odeon in 1946 and the café was turned into a Victor Sylvester ballroom in the 1960s. The cinema was taken over by Rank in 1975 and renamed La Scala. It showed its last film in 1983. It opened up for bingo as the Ritz, but was then taken over by Mecca Bingo.
Mecca website
Images: Google Maps
Mecca Bingo has confirmed that its venue on Corporation Street in Rotherham town centre is closing permanently.
It is thought that the lease on 26,000 sq ft property was due to expire this year.
The Rank Group, which owns Mecca, has seen venues closed during the Covid pandemic as a result of lockdowns, tiering closures and curfew, with revenues halved and losses incurred. Mecca's like-for-like revenue comparison for between the six months ended 31 December 2020 and the same period in the previous year was down 56%.
Just last month, John O'Reilly, CEO of Rank, said: "Our business has inevitably been heavily impacted by the pandemic but, with the strong support and dedication of our colleagues, we are now very much looking forward to reopening our casino and bingo venues, welcoming back our customers and providing the great entertainment and omni-channel service in a COVID safe environment we know they enjoy."
However, a statement on the Mecca website this week , said: "It's with a very heavy heart we have to announce that Mecca Bingo Rotherham will be closing permanently.
"We want to take the opportunity to thank you, our wonderful customers, and our team for the MECCA-tastic years! Thank you for your loyalty and all the great memories we've made together.
"Our closest club Sheffield Flat Street opens from 17th May, and we hope to welcome you all there to keep making great memories and to bring you the usual Mecca fun."
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The building, which was previously a cinema was due to go up for auction twice in 2018 with a guide price of £875,000 - £925,000 and then £800,000 but the lots were withdrawn twice.
The substantial building, currently set out as a bingo hall, includes a reception area, gaming hall and ancillary and office accommodation over lower ground, ground, first and mezzanine floors.
Auction documents showed that the property is entirely let to Mecca Bingo Limited until 2021 at a current rent of £125,950 per annum. The tenant had an option to extend the lease.
The property last sold in 2014, when it went for £880,000, also at auction.
The building, which auctioneers said "may lend itself to a variety of uses and redevelopment subject to obtaining all the necessary consents," is situated alongside the key regeneration site in the town centre - Forge Island.
Originally opened in December 1934 as the Regal Cinema the building was commissioned by Thomas Wade Cinemas Ltd of Wath-upon-Dearne, and designed by Messrs Blackmore and Sykes, Architects, of Hull. It had seating for 1,825, and was fully equipped for stage performances with three dressing rooms, and a theatre organ.
The site became the Odeon in 1946 and the café was turned into a Victor Sylvester ballroom in the 1960s. The cinema was taken over by Rank in 1975 and renamed La Scala. It showed its last film in 1983. It opened up for bingo as the Ritz, but was then taken over by Mecca Bingo.
Mecca website
Images: Google Maps