Majestic Bingo Live
It went on to be one of the biggest bingo operators in the UK, with a total of 14 bingo clubs in a variety of destinations at one time, uch as Cornwall, Skegness, Castleford, Donnington and Gwynedd.
Unfortunately, despite the sale of a number of clubs, Majestic Bingo fell into administration in July 2023, but eight branches continued to trade, although some of them operate under different trading names:
- Apollo Caernarfon
- Apollo Camborne
- Apollo Rhyl
- Globe Donnington
- Hippodrome Bishop Auckland
- Judges Tonypandy
- Majestic Worcester
- Roman Bank Skegness
The firm employed just over 140 staff, all of whom could have faced a bleak future.
Majestic Bingo was always a profitable concern and well-managed, but the firm has been hit most recently by the cost-of-living crisis reducing footfall, on top of the post-pandemic reduced numbers of players and one of its most profitable hall suffering a serious fire and not re-opening. The most recent account from the end of 2021 showed pre-tax losses at £833,000 which had risen from £706,000 the previous year.
The good news is that before 2023 ended a new company, The Real Fun Group, acquired the business, taking the eight freehold bingo clubs from Majestic Bingo and out of administration.
Before this latest acquisition Real Fun Group, led by bingo industry veteran Kevin McGinnigle, owned just two retail bingo sites, but this takes the firms presence to 10 sites and sets them up to be a leading player in the UK independent bingo sector.
CEO Kevin said of this latest acquisition,
“I’m incredibly excited by this opportunity. This was a well-run business that was hit with devastating luck over the last few years, and I can’t wait to work with the team. To sit here today, knowing we’re able to keep so many people in work is an unbelievable feeling.”
He went on, “Undoubtedly there is a lot of work ahead of us and I’m confident we’ve got the right people within the business to make this a huge success for everyone concerned. Coming from a family of bingo players, I’m aware of the role that local bingos club play in their community and to get the opportunity to keep these historic clubs open for our customers is just fantastic.”
The venues in the Majestic Bingo portfolio include state-of-the-art, purpose-built destination clubs in retail parks and more traditional bingo halls in converted theatres and cinemas, all offering various exciting extras like diners, licensed bars, machine arcades and free parking, to ensure your bingo experience is as fun as can be.
More than anything, what really made Majestic Bingo unique was its focus on community and being exciting and affordable, in a welcoming environment of friendly staff and players that will have you returning again and again with your bingo dabber in hand! This is likely to become an even stronger focus under the control of the Real Fun Group. If you want your bingo experience to be both entertaining and relaxing, and you really want to get the VIP treatment while socialising with familiar friends and new players alike, then the former Majestic Bingo brands named above are the ones to visit.
Majestic Bingo online is not included and is a totally separate entity.
| Name | Location | Address | Region | Postal Code | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo Barrow | Barrow in Furness | Hollywood Park | Barrow in Furness | LA14 2NA | 01229 825316 |
| Apollo Caernarfon | Gwynedd | Crown Street | Caernarfon | LL55 1SY | 01286 672230 |
| Apollo Camborne | Cornwall | Chapel Street | Camborne | TR14 8ED | 01209 712269 |
| Apollo Durham | County Durham | Sherburn Road | Durham | DH1 2EP | 0191 3845102 |
| Apollo Mansfield | Nottinghamshire | Mansfield Leisure Park | Mansfield | NG18 1BU | 01623 427222 |
| Apollo Rhyl | Denbighshire | Brighton Road | Rhyl | LL18 3HD | 01745 331805 |
| Globe | Donnington | Wellington Road | Donnington | TF2 8AW | 01952 605621 |
| Hippodrome | Bishop Auckland | 27 Railway Street | Bishop Auckland | DL14 7LR | 01388 602121 |
| Judges | Tonypandy | Trealaw Road | Mid Glamorgan | CF40 2NX | 01443 433267 |
| Majestic | Worcester | Derwent Close | Warndon | WR4 9TY | 01905 24863 |
| Regent | Spalding | Westlode Street | Spalding | PE11 2AE | 01775 769993 |
| Rio | Canvey Island | 124-126 Furtherwick Road | Canvey Island, Essex | SS8 7AL | 01268 683133 |
| Ritz | Castleford | 1 Albion Street | Castleford | WF10 1EG | 01977 552285 |
| Roman Bank | Skegness | Roman Bank | Skegness | PE25 2SG | 01754 763702 |
Live Bingo News
Author And Managing Editor
Anita is well-known and respected within the online bingo industry, she loves all things bingo and slots and has been involved with online bingo and gambling sites since the late 1990’s. She has been the full-time writer and Editor of WhichBingo for much of that time and is respected by operators and players alike for her no-nonsense judgments and opinions. Anita has seen the highs and lows of the industry she loves, has seen it grow and develop and contract again into what it is today. She has worked with the biggest names in the industry and has a reputation for being fair and to the point in her writing.
