People say a plan to open a cafe in an old bingo hall could help ‘bring the town back up’. Plans have been put forward for the former Ritz Bingo Hall, in South Street in Ilkeston.
The bingo hall, which closed in 2018, consists of three units and plans show that one of the units could be a new cafe if the proposals are approved. People in Ilkeston said a "nice cafe would be good" for the area.
Retied hotel manager Ward John, 59, told Nottinghamshire Live the area was going downhill and needed something like a new cafe. Mr John said: “It’s going downhill here - they need to bring it back up.
Read more: The changing face of what was once Europe's busiest shopping street
“They need something different - a nice cafe. Something to bring people in." Edward Marshall, who is 81, said that the building "wants turning into something".
Mr Marshall said: “It’s been a long time - I think it was very popular with the ladies. It wants turning into something. We’ve got quite a few cafes in the area. Maybe a little general store, not a cafe.”
A resident, who asked not to be named, told Nottinghamshire Live that there were not many "nice places to eat" in the area. “I suppose it’s better than what it is,” she said. "South Street isn’t too bad, Bath Street isn’t either.
"There’s not many nice places to eat so a nice restaurant or cafe would be good.” It comes after shoppers in the town said they'd been left with "nothing" following the closure of Peacocks.
