Listen to this article:The plans for a new Club 3000 Bingo Bristol venue have taken another step forward after a premises licence application was submitted for the planned site in Bedminster.
Fraser Capital Management Ltd has made the application and covers premises at 37 Hartcliffe Way, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 5RN. If approved, it would allow the venue to offer bingo, sell alcohol, provide late-night refreshment and host regulated entertainment.
The new Bedminster Club 3000 Bingo would replace its long-running venue at Broadwalk Shopping Centre in Knowle, where the operator has been based for 12 years. The company has already said it needs to move because the ageing shopping centre is set to close and be redeveloped.
The latest application is not the same as full planning approval, but it is an important part of the process.
Club 3000 Bingo has already bought the proposed Bedminster site and wants to build a new state-of-the-art bingo club there. The former commercial site is roughly two miles from the current Knowle club, so it keeps the operator in South Bristol and not too far from many of its existing customers.
According to Club 3000, the new venue would include quality food and bars, big prize money, and a more modern bingo experience. The operator is also proposing a large car park with 144 spaces, including dedicated blue badge spaces.
There are transport options nearby as well. Club 3000 explained that the site has existing bus services, a pedestrian crossing close to the entrance, and Parson Street Railway Station around 500 metres away. There is also a cycle lane running along Hartcliffe Way.
The move has become necessary because of the situation at Broadwalk Shopping Centre.
Club 3000 Bingo has said that it received notice to leave its Knowle venue because of ongoing issues related to the car park. The wider shopping centre is also set to be redeveloped, which means the bingo club can no longer rely on staying there long term.
The operator previously explained:
“After 12 years of playing bingo at Broadwalk Shopping Centre, Club 3000 has received a minimum four-month notice to vacate the premises due to ongoing issues related to the car park. We are actively engaged in discussions with the management of the Broadwalk Shopping Centre in the hope of extending our lease into next year. Our top priority remains supporting our dedicated team of 45 staff and continuing to serve our valued community of over 34,000 members.”
As is clear, Club 3000 is not simply trying to expand. It is trying to keep its Bristol bingo community viable after being forced to find a new home.
The plans appear to have received a lot of local support.
According to reports, more than 400 letters have been submitted in support of the proposed new bingo hall. The number is not especially surprising considering that Club 3000 says its Bristol venue has more than 34,000 members, and many of those players will not want to lose their local club entirely. For them, a new venue in Bedminster would be far better than the operator leaving the area altogether.
The new site would also give Club 3000 the chance to build a venue from scratch rather than trying to make do with an ageing shopping centre unit.
Even if the application is approved, the new Bedminster Club 3000 Bingo will not open straight away.
Club 3000 has said it wants to work with Bristol City Council to have its application approved as soon as possible, but the building work will still take time. The operator has previously estimated that it could take at least 18 months, and possibly around two years, before the new club is ready to open.
That means there is likely to be a period when Club 3000 Bingo does not have a Bristol venue. During that time, the company has said players will be able to play online or travel to its clubs in Cwmbran and Cardiff, with free transport offered two nights a week.
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