A popular Fife bingo hall is to close permanently with the loss of around 25 jobs.
Staff and devoted customers at Buzz Bingo had breathed a sigh of relief last year when the Glenrothes branch in Flemington Road seemingly avoided the axe during the company’s cull of 26 outlets to cut costs.
However, the ongoing impact of coronavirus restrictions and enforced closures has now caught up with the Fife business, with an announcement now confirming the Glenrothes hall will not reopen.
The news comes just a matter of months after Buzz Bingo, which formerly traded as Gala Bingo, launched a rescue restructure via an insolvency procedure known as a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which would allow it to exit unwanted properties and cut rents.
A spokesperson for Buzz Bingo said: “It’s with a heavy heart we announce that Buzz Bingo Glenrothes will not be reopening and is closing permanently.
“The decision to close was not our choice and despite our best efforts, it was ultimately out of our control.
“We’re devastated to bring you this news as we know this will be a difficult time for our community and our amazing Glenrothes team.
“Our nearest Buzz Bingo club is Buzz Bingo Dundee and the lovely team there will be delighted to welcome you when they’re able to reopen.
“Brilliant teams at Buzz Bingo Meadowbank and Buzz Bingo Falkirk are nearby too.
“We’d like to thank all our customers and colleagues for their ongoing support and for making our community amazing.”
Buzz Bingo employs around 3,000 people nationwide and has already warned that it would take time for bingo halls to return to pre-lockdown performance, if that was at all possible.
Chief executive Chris Matthews admitted: “The ongoing pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for the entire leisure and hospitality sector and an immediate and significant impact on our business.”
Bingo halls at Edinburgh Wester Hailes and Kilmarnock were the only two Scottish casualties during the last round of closures announced last summer.