London – Mecca Bingo Fulham – Vanston Place

Fulham Mecca was located in a theatre hall originally designed by architect H. George Leslie. The main feature of the entrance was an impressive figure of Mercury perched on top of a windmill shaped tower. Between 1929 and 1962, the premises served as a cinema. Its last owners, Gaumont Cinema, showed their final screening in 1962.

With the building’s transformation to a Top Rank Bingo hall in 1962 came a physical change to the exterior, including removal of the Mercury figure. When Mecca took over from Top Rank, fortunately, they decided to retain the surviving Beaux-Arts style decoration. The bingo hall was closed in 2007 due to a decline in attendance.

Now a site for a proposed 150 student flats, it remains to be seen whether the exterior cladding will be removed to expose the building’s facade and its true character.

By Gareth Whieldon (April 2009)