First look at £5m fit out plans for new Blackpool bingo hall

Club 3000 Bingo has revealed work has begun on a £5m fit out of the interior of the building at Festival Leisure Park and it is hoped to open in late June.

Brian Fraser, founder of Club 3000, said: “We are thrilled that we are looking towards an opening date of late June 2023 and are excited about all the plans we have to open a state-of-the-art bingo club in Blackpool.”

The operator says it will be equipping the club with “modern fittings and fixtures to create a luxurious environment.”

It is hoped the investment will provide “a significant boost to the local community and help raise the profile of this unique leisure destination.”

Sean Connolly, who has worked in the bingo industry since 1988 across the UK, but returned to his home town of Fleetwood with his family in 2019, has been appointed manager.

He said: “I’m incredibly excited and proud to be general manager of Club 3000’s brand new club in Blackpool.

“Bingo is still incredibly popular, and a big town like Blackpool will love the great value, fabulous prize money and first-class customer service that Club 3000 Bingo always offers. I cannot wait to open the doors this summer.”

Club 3000 Bingo is the largest independent bingo operator in the UK and already has nine clubs in the North-West.

Construction of Club 3000 Bingo began in 2020 but stopped later that year when the impact of the Covid pandemic and a change in ownership of the retail park contributed to the project stalling.

It has been built on the site of the former Swift Hound Pub, which was demolished in February 2020.

The scheme was granted planning permission on appeal in July 2019 after Blackpool Council had turned down the application amid fears it would trigger traffic problems in the area, and customers would park on the surrounding residential streets including the nearby Foxhall Village.

Further development at Festival Park is due to include a new drive-thru coffee shop while planning permission has been granted for the conversion of the Odeon Cinema on the site into a trampoline park, indoor golf course or bowling alley.