Celebrities Fight to Keep Bingo Complex Open

Friday, January 14th, 2011 - Alfie Williams.

The Alhambra Bingo Hall in Penrith is facing closure on March 3rd, and celebrities from across the UK are jumping to its defense. 

The Alhambra Cinema and Bingo Complex has been around for 100 years, and has seen a great deal of success in its time. The cinema continues to be profitable but the bingo hall has fallen victim to the pressures of the global recession. The owners of the building have decided to rent out both sides of the building, but petitioners are hoping they can be stopped. 

The closure has also been blamed on the many factors that are effecting the land-based industry at large. The recently-imposed smoking ban and the bingo tax increase have both deterred UK citizens from playing land-based bingo, and the case of the Alhambra Hall is no different. 

Shortly after the news of the closure, a petition was drafted in hopes to convincing the owners to keep the cinema and bingo hall open. Nearly 3000 people have signed the petition so far, including some celebrities from across the country. 

Eddie Izzard has hopped on board, as has Richard E Grant who filmed Withnail (1987) in Penrith. They believe that the building is a cultural asset to the city.