A man, who ran a popular bingo hall in the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, said he ‘would consider’ returning when the new centre is built.
The new Elephant and Castle Town Centre is being built by Delancey in phases – a large portion of which is due to be completed by early 2026.
As well as housing, it will include shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and a new building for the London College of Communication.
According to the Section 106 agreement, part of the planning obligation, the commercial manager of the Town Centre – Get Living – must market one of the leisure facilities to a bingo operator before anyone else.
In the old Shopping Centre, The London Palace was a well-loved bingo hall run by Patrick Duffy, which was forced to close in 2019 ahead of demolition.
‘We lost something beautiful’: Documentary-maker gives moving tribute to the Elephant bingo hall
The venue not only provided entertainment but also the key to a unique community.
It was often a full house – with hundreds of regulars visiting the bingo club every day to relax, socialise, play bingo, dominoes, gossip and party together. There were also cheap dinners for £1 and free tea and coffee.
A BAFTA-nominated film documenting the final days before the club’s closure showed why it was so much more than just a place to play bingo.
Given the revelation that a bingo operator has the chance to get a space in the new development, we asked Mr Duffy if he would consider coming back.
“I would certainly come back,” he revealed. “After we had to close, I tried to buy other bingo clubs locally but I couldn’t find anywhere suitable.
“If it were big enough I would do it.”
The London Palace was one of the largest bingo clubs in the country – the size of Wembley Stadium.
Although this size of 50,000 square feet would be hard to replicate in the new centre – given that the size set aside for shops, restaurants and leisure space is approximately 135,000 square feet – all hope is not lost.
Patrick, who now lives between Great Yarmouth and Lambeth North, said since his company Palatial Leisure Ltd. runs other leisure facilities such as cinemas and bowling, there is a chance he could bid for more space.
He added that the door is not closed, commenting: “Our club brings a lot of people and customers.
“If [the developers] really want to attract people to their development and fulfil their obligation to the community – they should consider this.”
Asked if another bingo operator could do the same as them, he said: “That club was very unique. There is rarely a day I’m in London that I don’t meet at least ten people who used to play there.
“People want it back.”
Claire Morgan, 40, from Nunhead said she and her family played there all the time. “My grandparents and parents used to use it a lot. My mum won the national there about 26 years ago.”
The national is a bingo game played twice a day, every day that links up bingo halls across the country, allowing players the opportunity to win big cash prizes.
Commenting on the news it could return, she said: “I think it would be brilliant. It would be bringing the community back together.”
She added that it would give people a purpose to go to the new shopping centre. “For people who don’t live around the Elephant, the bingo would attract them – they’d play there and then they might look around the shops whilst they’re there.”
“But it can’t just be any bingo operator,” Claire continued, “it would have to be Patrick. He has to be the person to bring it back.”