Operator News
UK – BuzzBingo to close 26 bingo halls permanently due to COVID-19 downturn
By Phil - 15 July 2020
British bingo operator BuzzBingo has confirmed that it will keep 26 of its bingo halls closed, putting 526 jobs at risk, due to the lack of revenue generated since its clubs were forced to close in late March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The closures will see the number of bingo halls in its estate fall to 91.
Chris Matthews CEO of Buzz Bingo, said: “While we are planning the phased reopening of our clubs from August 6, as many of you will understand, with our clubs closed since March 21, Coronavirus has had a significant impact on our business and on the entire leisure and hospitality industry. We have therefore had to make some difficult decisions about how we move forward and ensure that we protect the future of Buzz Bingo.
“It is, therefore, with sadness that I need to share with you that 26 of our clubs will not reopen, and will close permanently in a proposed restructure of our retail business. The full list of club closures is below; Chatham, Salford, Salisbury, Antelope Park, Banbury, Boston, Bournemouth, Bridlington, Carlisle, Chorley, Cramlington, Derby Foresters, Edinburgh Westerhailes, Harpurhey, Hereford, Kilmarnock, Milton Keynes, Oxford Kassam, Stockland Green, Tamworth, Wednesbury, Weymouth, Wigan Robin Park, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Wythenshawe.
“Our Buzz Bingo community means the world to us, and we know how disappointing this news will be – especially for those of our customers who are losing their local club, and of course, our colleagues,” he added. “We could never have expected this outcome when we closed our doors on 21st March, but the coronavirus crisis is a completely one-off event. The decision to restructure our club portfolio is the right way to secure our long-term future and make sure that we can still bring bingo to our customers in the majority of our clubs around the country and online at buzzbingo.com. We are reopening 12 clubs on August 6 and the rest of our clubs will be reopening in the coming weeks, and, of course, our online bingo and slots are open to all at buzzbingo.com.”
