From the Rialto to the Savoy: I am taking another look at Newcastle bingo halls of the past
I’m focusing on a full house of Tyneside memories once more and they all come from Newcastle’s old bingo halls.
The game is a huge draw in clubs and halls across the North East and we have all these scenes to share thanks to the Newcastle Photo Archive.
Let’s start in Beech Grove, Elswick in 1984 where the old congregational church later became a cinema followed by a bingo hall. Tell us if you played a game or two there.
Next, we stay at the same venue but this time the scene is from 1997 and demolition work in progress.
We travel back once more but this time to 1976 and to the junction of West Road and Gowland Avenue. That is where you will find the former Plaza Cinema which by then had become a bingo hall.
We end our trip back in time with a look at the former Rialto Cinema in Benwell. The view takes us to 1963 to a scene of people at the cinema which was later used as a bingo hall before it became the site of a health centre.
The fantastic Newcastle Photo Archive is 40 years old and has a database of more than 50,000 photos.
In the past, we have featured great Newcastle scenes including;
We would love to hear from anyone who has memories of the city’s bingo halls of the past.
Get in touch to share your own recollections by emailing [email protected]