Date of closure: TBC
Address (for reference only):
Firle Road
Eastbourne
BN22 8DP
Although we know that a business – the “Plumber’s Mate” is now located in the premises of the ex bingo club, at the moment we do not have the details of the events that led up to, or any of the circumstances surrounding the closure of Mecca Bingo Eastbourne. If you do have any details that may assist us, and you would like to share them with our site visitors we would love to hear from you. If you contact us, and let us know what you know, we will put the details online with your name credited. You will be doing a service to the bingo community and posterity by helping us record details of all Britain’s bingo clubs and halls. Thank you.
By Gareth Whieldon (September 2010)
The photograph below is of the interior of the club. An ex theatre, like many others, this one appears to have underwent the transformation to bingo without much alteration to the original structure and decor. The original seating remains in place, although at the back of the hall there are what looks like some kind of electronic bingo machines. The lights are on in the club, although it’s not clear if the club is open for business, or whether there is something else going on. Were you in this picture, can you tell us all about it?
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.
I used to work at this club 20 years ago.
This old cinema building stretches all the way down at the back of the new flats where I live built just over two years ago. It opened in 1914 as the Eastbourne Picture Theatre. Then in 1915 it became The Empire, 1921 The Elysium 1936, The Gaiety 1966, The New Classic Cinema, shutting as The Classic Cinema on November 17th 1973. Mecca very quickly moved in with Bingo. This stopped for Bingo reasons not known other than it was a small theatre compared to the Luxor in the town centre. Now full of current user Plumbers Mate gear, with a notice on the front in Seaside Road TO LET the interior is untouched. It could very easily be put back to cinema or bingo use. Would love to see that happen.
I was a bingo caller at the Mecca 1974/75
Peter Gordon was manager
Philip Tanner
Enjoyed my time here from Sept 1988 to 1989 as trainee Manager … still visit Eastbourne now and wander around the area
I was assistant manager at the club 79/80. Lots of different memories Inc the club flooding and bingo carrying on!!
Does anyone know who I can contact to maybe rent the building?
In the 90’s I was the main stage caller there, Mike Deveny, then after a while it was Tracey Curtis were the managers at the time, fond memories of my colleagues, I was lucky enough to at one time call the national bingo winner, at that time it was 50k top prize