Bradford Mecca Bingo – Little Horton Lane

A modern bingo hall located in a busy area or Bradford, the Mecca closed in November 2016 due economic unviability. The club had been losing money for some time due to falling attendances which pushed the chain’s owners to close the club, the nearest Mecca Bingo alternative being located in Hastings, however at the time of closure there were still two Gala Bingo Clubs open in Bradford.

The 2014 announcement of a decrease in bingo taxation brought hope to much of the UK’s land based retail bingo industry. However, if a club is not experiencing good attendance, and moves to increase popularity fail then there is unfortunately there is only one route and that is closure. Mecca Bingo Bradford sadly closed in November 2016 due a steady and continuous fall in attendance leading its owners to cut their losses and close the club with their nearest replacement being in the seaside town of Hastings. From the photographs below it can be seen that the club was a modern one, perhaps purpose built (we don’t know the building’s origins).

Many independent clubs have survived the recent perilous decades, but with the larger chains business is business and as their clubs are not family owned like some of the smaller clubs and sentiment does not come into the equation. If a club is failing, with many other considerations to contend with the chain may simply decide to ‘cut off the dead wood’, as in the case of the Little Horton Lane club. Sadly, another one bites the dust, but there are many clubs still going strong, and Gala Bingo retains two halls in Bradford, so all is not lost.

If you have any photos from this lost hall, be it of its interior, the staff, special events, parties, customers and more; and you’d like to share them here, please contact us to arrange adding them to the site.