A bingo club that is open 24/7 will be replacing Shoe Zone in Broadmead once it closes. The shoe shop has not yet confirmed its closing date but it is understood to be within the next couple of months, with a closing-down sale already ongoing.
Shipley’s Bingo, which currently has a shop in the Galleries, has confirmed it will be relocating its Bristol shop to Broadmead and replacing Shoe Zone. It said the reason for the move is due to the proposed redevelopment of the shopping centre, which could see the Galleries demolished in late 2024.
It was granted change of use planning permission back in November. The Bristol branch manager, Sunny Khalid, said the gambling licence has also been secured and the new shop should be open by the end of March this year if not sooner.
READ MORE: Shoe Zone in Bristol city centre looks set to close down
The licence will grant the business permission to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week as is currently the case with the Galleries shop. The proposals also include a rear extension that will not involve an expansion of the shop but the office and the fitting of a new staircase for staff usage.
Following the closure of Shoe Zone in Bedminster several years ago, the Broadmead branch is the last remaining shop within the Bristol city boundary. The closest branches will be the Shoe Zone stores in Keynsham and Kingswood. The company closed several branches in 2020 due to financial difficulties arising from the pandemic.
Shoe Zone head office is yet to confirm the reason for the closure but it is believed to be due to the landlord drawing up a new contract rather than renewing the shop’s existing lease. It is not clear if the shop could relocate and staff say they have not yet been given a date for when the current shop will close.
The planning application on behalf of the gambling company said securing a long-term location for the 24-hour gambling shop is in line with the Government planning framework to 'support the role that town centres play at the heart of local communities, by taking a positive approach to their growth, management and adaptation'.
A covering letter submitted to Bristol City Council added: "The premises would trade 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The applicant is currently located nearby at 33 Union Street which forms part of The Galleries shopping centre and is relocating premises for exactly the same use and hours of operation.
"The unit they currently occupy is owned by the council who are seeking to secure vacant possession as part of a wider scheme for that site’s redevelopment. The 24-hour bingo lounge club use concept is to create a relaxed lounge venue on the high street which utilise new technology, allowing bingo enthusiasts to use portable electronic bingo devices, which in turn allows smaller venues to be linked up together on a national level."
The application added that the business will support both the night-time and daytime economy, stating: “The nature of use will be the same [as the existing Galleries branch] and the same management regime will be carried out."
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem you can get help by contacting BeGambleAware here.
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