Thousands of players are outraged as news broke that their bingo hall may be demolished in the near future. The Star Bingo Hall in Crumlin, Ireland could be demolished in plans are approved by the Dublin City Council. Applications have been filed to turn the bingo area into apartments, shops and a medical center.

However the Star Bingo Hall is not a run down, empty place. Sandy Coleman, the manager of Star Bingo, has stated that they have 2,500 customers a week and they come from all over, including: Kildare, Meath, Bray, Tallaght and Ballyfremot. Coleman also stated that “Seventy percent of these women here don’t drink, so this is their outlet.”

The Star Bingo Hall has been around for many, many years. It first began as a cinema, to a skating rink, bowling alley and has been the bingo hall now for twenty five years. One worker stated: “It’s very important. People have been coming here for years, especially old people. It’s the only thing some of they have. Many women come here just to get out of the house.”

The women have found the Star Bingo Hall to be an oasis, a nice place to go that is away from home. Some have even used it as a way to stay sober. One customer stated they had been sober for over a year. Many are in agreement that if the establishment is demolished, they would be lost without it.

The application, if approved, will mean the area will be building forty nine apartments over three blocks and one block containing two shops and a medical center. It may be some time before the application is approved or denied, but players are gearing up for the worst.


- 2008-09-15