Hinckley Flutters Bingo – Rugby Road

We’re not sure when Flutters in Hinckley closed, but we do know that locals are very unhappy about plans to demolish the building. We don’t know if this sentiment extends to bingo, or whether it’s the architectural and cultural importance of the building which brings locals together on this. However, our experience tells us that people are generally aware of the cultural importance of bingo, and how the clubs are a source of not only entertainment, but social interaction, particularly for the elderly. We’ve got our fingers crossed for the building’s future, and with that, the potential for bingo to return to the site as well.

At the moment we do not have details of the events that led up to, or any of the circumstances surrounding the actual closure of the Flutters Bingo Hinckley. If you have any details that may assist us, and you would like to share them with our readers, we would love to hear from you. If you let us know what you know, we will put the details online with your name credited (if you wish, or we can credit the article as anonymous). 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 (April 2013)

Update

A planning application has been submitted to convert the venue into a car park, although if successful the front of the building will remain. The proposed car park is expected to help regenerate retail business in the area, although the move is not without its critics who would like to see the building preserved. Apparently the original Art Deco interior remains, and there are local people taking up the fight against it’s demolition. A Facebook campaign “Save The Regent” has been launched by Darran Brown who is collecting signatures, and believes the building could be used as a venue for weddings and live music. Watch this space for more updates.

By Gareth Whieldon (January 2014)

Update

Local councillors have just pledged their support for the saving of the venue, so the future of the venue while in no way secure, may be experiencing a stay of execution. This will hopefully give campaigners more time to seek a viable use for the premises, and more importantly sources of funding to help any community based ventures be realised.

By Gareth Whieldon (March 2014)

Update

Despite initial signs of support, demolition work has begun on the old bingo hall and cinema. There will be a car park, and an Iceland supermarket on the site, which the owner stated he could no longer afford to keep in its present condition.

By Gareth Whieldon (May 2014)

Michael Hess: Flutters Bingo, Hinckley

Taken as a part of the Playing Bingo commission of Michael Hess to shoot a follow-up to his book, Bingo and Social Club. Find out more about the project here.

Flutters Bingo in Hinckley is located in the old Regent Theatre which became the Vogue Bingo and Social Club in 1968, and was later taken over by Flutters Bingo. As you can see from the photographs the venue retains the original decor and thankfully a false ceiling wasn’t put in during the conversion for bingo. There’s a lovely shot of the ‘Elvis purse’: many players have their ‘lucky charms’, this one probably keeping a lady company whilst dabbing. The other photos show players in the main session, and playing on the cashline boards and slots during the interval.

Photographs copyright Michael Hess April 2013. They cannot be reproduced without the permission of PlayingBingo.co.uk.