When Will Bingo Halls Reopen in the UK?

When will bingo halls reopen? that is the question thousands of bingo players are asking up and down the country.

In the BingoDaily newsroom, we have been seeing an increasing number of bingo halls opening in the U.S. This, despite 21 states in the U.S. posting an increase in the number of Coronavirus infections.

However, expectations have been raised as lockdown restrictions have been easing weekly.

As news broke earlier this week of bookmakers opening on the 15th June, bingo halls are expected to reopen as part of phrase 3. This would mean bingo halls opening of July 4th. Restrictions would most likely be in place. However, at this stage the restrictions are unknown.

All the 2,445 Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops in England will be able to reopen from Monday, June 15th. However, lockdown rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland need to be changed at the time of writing before bookies can reopen there.

The betting chain who are owned by the GVC Holdings PLC (LON:GVC), and also the owner of Galabingo online website has stated that dependent on betting shop size, there will be a slight reduction in the number of customers allowed to enable correct social distancing as per government guidelines.

Sneeze screens have been installed and more than one million stylus pens have been purchased by Ladbrokes Coral, in order to minimize contact.

Although BingoDaily reported two weeks ago that plans were being made by some bingo halls to reopen, in particular Beacon Bingo, there has been no change to the decision made by the UK government on bingo halls opening on July 4th

Big Bingo Clubs Mostly Silent

At this point in the UK, the position on what can and can't be done changes frequently and is often unclear or hard to enforce. All the big bingo clubs such as Mecca Bingo Gala Bingo, Buzz Bingo, Club 3000, Opera Bingo, Shipley's Bingo and Palace Bingo are yet to issue any statements or update their websites.

However, Beacon Bingo tweeted yesterday:

📢 To keep you updated with the reopening of our club we want to let you know that we will be part of the phase 3 lockdown exit plan set out by the Government.

📅 The government’s current plan is that phase three will begin no earlier than 4th July, subject to it being safe to… pic.twitter.com/36LqIw3Odo

— Beacon Northampton (@BeaconNTH) June 10, 2020

No statement is on the website yet and no further clarification offered.

So for now it looks like we play the waiting game. Bingo halls are scheduled to reopen in England on July 4th, whilst in the rest of the UK, there is no date set.

Watch this space for further updates!

In the meantime, whilst waiting for the bingo clubs to reopen, check our best bingo sites list and play some online bingo today.

Bingo Ben

Ben has been an massive bingo enthusiast and fan since playing at the seaside as a kid. Dedicated to bringing you the latest and best bingo news from the UK