Date of closure: December 4th 2011
Address (for reference only):
Gala Bingo (Lost Halls)
North Street
Rugby
CV21 2AF
Rugby’s Gala Bingo club closed in December 2011 after having been up for sale since 2007. Although an offer has been accepted for the premises, we currently do not know what the usage of the building will be. As Gala have sold the place then it’s unlikely that the building will be used for bingo – if Gala couldn’t make it work then could someone else? We could be wrong, and we hope we are, so if you know what has happened to the club since changing hands please let us know.
By Gareth Whieldon (December 2011)
Update
Unfortunately our update is not good news for bingo players in the Rugby area. We have been contacted by Paul Sharp who walked past the site of the closed hall in January 2012, only to see that the club had been completely demolished, in little more than a month from its closure. It’s unlikely that the club will ever reopen somewhere else; however we’ve always got our fingers crossed, so, if it does reopen somewhere else, please let us know about it.
By Gareth Whieldon (January 2012)
I just passed the former Plaza/Granada/Gala Rugby. Only the foyer and stage ends remain. The demolition men have had the middle!
This was my local club, which was well attended to the very end. Beautifully maintained too throughout by Gala Clubs, it was a real shock to us all to hear that it was closing.
The reason? Pure greed I’m afraid in my opinion. Gala got a big offer for the site, it was raised within 3 weeks of closure.
What’s there now you ask? Absolutely nothing! The space is being used as a ‘temporary’ car park! And yes, there’s a little heart ache in this, as my grandad as the Mayor of Rugby officially opened the cinema way back in the 30s.
What a disgrace knocking such a grand build down to be replaced bye a McDonald’s. Such a waste of space when their was some much history within that place Gutted.
I used to work there in the ’90s and investigated the whole building. Half way up the stairs was the old projection room and above the hall were some offices and space to crawl along to change the lights. Looking down was an experience. Beyond that you could get above the stage and look down to see the old stage curtains hidden away. There used to be a squatter living in the offices at one point, who sadly chose to leave the building one day. His ‘stuff’ was still in the offices. One evening, the manager took everybody out on the roof to look around, it was a lovely building and an act of greed and vandalism that it’s gone.