Buzz Bingo site to shut after building sold

A popular bingo club in Shrewsbury will close at the end of January, after the building was sold.

Buzz Bingo originally opened as a cinema in 1934, before becoming a bingo club in 1973 - it began operating under the Buzz Bingo brand in 2018.

In the last year, the company said the Shrewsbury site, on Castle Gates, welcomed 2,400 individual customers who made more than 11,000 visits.

The final session there will take place on 31 January, and a consultation is under way to try to redeploy staff to other clubs.

The company said an offer had been accepted for the building by a developer.

Buzz Bingo said the venue had been a social hub for the community, "bringing generations together and supporting local jobs".

Its regional manager, Mike Ellis, said: "We're incredibly proud of our Buzz Bingo Shrewsbury community and our colleagues, and we understand how upsetting this news will be."

"This closure is not a reflection of the people who made the club so special.

"We'd like to thank all Shrewsbury customers for their loyalty, support, and the many memories shared in this remarkable venue".

A masterplan for the future of the town centre published in 2021, The Big Town Plan, identified the building as having potential for development.

"The Grade II listed Granada Cinema located on Castle Gates is currently being used as a neglected bingo hall.

"The building deserves to be restored to its former glory, with a more suitable occupant to secure its vibrant future," it said.

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