Gateshead Felling Bingo – Victoria Square

Felling Bingo’s building has a more interesting backstory than most. It began as a dance hall, the Imperia Palais de Danse, built by Joseph Smith in 1927. When the original Imperia Cinema on Wellington Street was wrecked by fire in October 1929, the dance hall’s balcony and auditorium made it a handy replacement, and it reopened as the New Imperia Cinema on 25 August 1930 with Janet Gaynor in Sunny Side Up. It seated around 976, added a café and lounge in 1932, and still hosted dancing and amateur operatics. The last film, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, screened on 24 February 1962, and it went over to bingo. Historic England describes brick and stonework, stylised eagles in relief, bronze torch details, etched glass doors and chromium pilasters outside, with an oak-panelled foyer and staircases, decorative plasterwork and original balcony seating surviving inside. It was Grade II listed on 18 November 1985.

The club traded under several names over the years, including New Imperial Bingo Club, Top Ten Bingo Club and finally Felling Bingo, though the sources don’t pin these to particular periods or operators. By November 2023 the former bingo hall and amusement arcade at 2-3 Victoria Square was being marketed as a commercial property. It continued trading until May 2024 and a business listing now marks it permanently closed. We haven’t found a stated reason for the closure or a date for the final session. The listed building survives, which is the good news for anyone fond of those eagles.

Other Lost Halls In The Area

• Newcastle upon Tyne Gala Bingo – Westgate Road
• Newcastle Upon Tyne Welbeck Bingo – Scrogg Road
• Newcastle Upon Tyne Hay Bingo – Stamfordham Road
• Wallsend Buzz Bingo – Middle Engine Lane
• Wallsend Mecca Bingo – High Street West
• North Shields Beach Bingo Club – Russell Street
• South Shields Mecca Bingo – Dean Road
• Sunderland Mecca Bingo – Holmeside
• Sunderland Top Ten Bingo – Silksworth Terrace
• Sunderland Top Ten Bingo – The Green

Here are some photos of the Felling Bingo on Victoria Square from Twitter and Facebook, to give you a flavour of the club, its customers and decoration. The photographers are unknown, but if one of these is yours let us know and we’ll add a credit.

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