The entertainment industry, like many in the country, has ground to a virtual shut down.
Bars and restaurants remain closed, as do some of Wales’ other attractions. Residents are unable to follow their usual pastimes, with a traditional game of bingo one of the industries suffering badly.
Wales has some wonderful bingo halls, from converted cinemas to brand new buildings, catering for the older generation at lunchtimes, through to a younger audience late into the evening. Whilst the doors are not open at present, once things return to normal, they’ll be looking to attract people to their games.
Bingo is a versatile game with origins as far back as Renaissance Italy. There are games played with as few as 30 balls, right up to the full 90-ball game. Even that can be varied upon, with the wide range of 90-ball games on Foxy Bingo showing how the game can be easily formatted to different themes. The game has had to adapt in its offering, with some preferring the tradition of an old building and dabber, whilst others like fresh twists on games played on screens and the latest technology.
Luckily, there is something for everyone across Wales and we have pulled together four halls you might want to pay a visit to once the doors are thrown open.
Castle Bingo, Nantgarw
The Nantgarw branch of Castle Bingo is an unknown quantity at the moment. It’s closed, not because of the wider world situation, but courtesy of flooding that occurred in the area back in February.
It was a popular branch before it closed, but with any inevitable refit and refurbishment it will have a bright, fresh new feel for gamers when it does reopen, making it a venue to keep an eye out for.
Apollo Bingo, Rhyl
The fantastic Art Deco building that houses Apollo Bingo in Rhyl is something of a landmark, with its fine rounded frontage jutting out into the street. It is the primary place to play bingo in Rhyl and offers plenty of different sittings to cater for all people.
The Daily Post reveals that the building was once an Odeon cinema, and is still used for the community to come together. Food and drink are available and having someone go around the tables selling ice cream is a nice touch, which adds to the old-school cinema feel of the venue.
Castle Bingo Morriston, Swansea
Castle Bingo in Swansea is known to be one of the busiest halls in Wales and has even been dubbed the luckiest too. One customer scooped a huge cash prize in 2017, not long after an ambitious £1.3m refit.
Players here are offered the best technology with a hi-definition video wall, as well as electronic bingo tablets for visitors to enjoy. They have hot food on offer and a private suite which can be rented out for functions.
Club 3000, Cardiff
Club 3000 is another modern venue and one of the largest in Wales. It sits on the edge of a 330-space car park in a new building, offering plenty of scope for players in terms of games. It has the sort of basic offerings you would expect, multiple sittings, nice food, and friendly staff, making it one of the most popular halls in Cardiff.
They also operate a ‘£2 meal’ deal on some days which proves popular with players looking to make a day of it. It is at the budget end of the scale for players looking for some cost-effective bingo.
