Old bingo halls are some of the most beautiful buildings in Wales and the United Kingdom. Occupying some considerable property space in city centres and promising wide interior spaces waiting to be developed and subdivided, these iconic haunts are being repurposed in modern ways, giving them a new lease on life. With technology focused on energy efficiency in their design, they are providing some of the most sustainable housing options in the world.
Pioneering Building Efforts in Wales
One scheme of note has been created on the site of the old Riva Bingo Hall in Splott. This beautiful building was gutted by fire in 2015. It was one of many old bingo halls looking for new purposes both in Wales and beyond.
In 2016, the go-ahead was given for 49 flats to be built on the site once the old building was demolished. Today, the new homes are attracting attention for their innovative nature. Created by Taff Housing, the flats are designed with low-carbon living in mind. Solutions to keep it sustainable include infrared wallpaper, which holds in heat. Planning approval for them was granted in 2021, with work commencing in 2022. It was in part funded by the Welsh Government’s Social Housing Grant.
There are a number of reasons why these buildings are being repurposed. The first is that bingo halls in city centres often do not get the footfall they once did. Many consumers need convenience, and this has led them to frequent more easily accessible halls away from the city centre, often in retail parks. However, Bingo remains incredibly popular, and it is estimated around three million UK citizens play the game, each indulging once a week. The ability to play bingo online has also added to its popularity, with around 3.5 million people logging on. New players have been attracted by the inviting bonuses and range of games on offer. This then transfers into players who want to venture out to physical halls.
The Knock-On Effects of Early Success
Source: Unsplash
This project and its success have not gone unnoticed. Across the country, old bingo halls and their land are being eyed up as development land. This is either in their current form or with demolition and rebuilding in mind.
Bournemouth is one town that is launching a similar scheme. Using a former bingo hall site at Christchurch Road, 40 affordable houses and apartments will be built. The houses will be built in a mews layout but crucially employ the same energy-saving innovations pioneered in Wales. Other similar developments have been seen in the New Forest, Poole, and Dorchester.
Britain is set to build 1.5 million homes over the next four years. Many of these new homes are being built with affordability in mind. For example, the ones created in Bournemouth are 20% under the value of average prices for the local area. Wales is at the forefront of sustainable housing, and even has funding in place to make existing properties more energy efficient. If it continues its pioneering efforts with this, it may become the sustainable home capital of the world.
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Header image: former Bingo Hall in Bridgend Town Centre, now demolished. Image source: Geograph.co.uk
