An Art Deco-style former bingo hall in Rushden, Northamptonshire, has been put back on the market, despite only being purchased two years ago. Formerly named Flutters Bingo Hall, the hall has been given a list price of £800,000 after the buyer, who acquired the historic site two years ago, has determined it too expensive to redevelop.

Local groups maintain hope that the building can be maintained in its original form.
The building opened as The Ritz Cinema in 1936. Despite permission being granted to demolish the cinema in 1973, the plans were abandoned, and the building continued to operate as a cinema until the 1980s.

It was converted to a bingo hall in 1982, although it continued to show films during school holidays until the mid-1980s.

Bingo Revival

Flutters was one of hundreds of bingo halls closed during the difficult period. But bingo in general is seeing a revival.

Live bingo websites are popular online, offering accessibility, social gaming features, and appealing bonuses. New bingo halls are also opening across the UK, albeit in limited numbers, and some local residents hope the hall will follow the same path.

After its closure in 2022, the building failed to attract any buyers when listed for £625,000. In 2024, the Flutters venue was auctioned off by Savills, raising £400,000 against a starting price of £140,000. The property was bought by Investment Street with the intention of converting it into smaller units.

Art Deco Architecture

At the time, Investment Street’s Oliver Mcloughlin said it was not viable to reopen the building as a bingo hall but pointed to the Art Deco building style as a reason for the acquisition.

Art Deco stems from pre-World War I France and was popularised at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, hosted in Paris in 1925. The style grew in prominence in the 1930s, when The Ritz Cinema opened, and is characterised by the use of glamorous materials and machine-age lines.

The Chrysler Building and Empire State Building in the US, and the Hoover Building in the UK, are prominent examples of Art Deco architecture.

Mcloughlin said, "I was attracted to the size of the place, I love architecture and history, so the frontage of that building looks amazing.”

As well as the Art Deco style front, the building also boasts a theatre with upper stalls as part of its approximate 12,000 square foot space. There’s also a private car park at the rear. The building is situated on College Street in the heart of Rushden.

Despite Mcloughlin’s previous enthusiasm, Investment Street has put the property back on the market, with the developer saying the project was at a stalemate.

The foyer and bar have been preserved, while the ground floor area has been upgraded to a large entertainment area, and the theatre has been upgraded, according to the current owners. The property has been listed for sale at £795,000.