Merkur Bingo Live
For a community that’s always on the hunt for new places to daub, Merkur Bingo is fast becoming the bingo hall of choice as one of the few high street brands expanding their physical venues.
Merkur Bingo, part of the Praesepe Group and later acquired by the Gauselmann Group, has three bustling venues and 200 Merkur Slots locations across the UK. The bingo halls were formerly known as Beacon Bingo before adopting the name of the new owners and now the whole group is known by the Merkur name.
Worth mentioning before we dive in – if you’re only familiar with online bingo, live bingo is a whole other level. There’s tons of variations of ticket pricing, sessions, optional extras, and jackpots, so it’s worth popping into your local venue to see what you fancy.
FACILITIES AT MERKUR BINGO
All three Merkur Bingo venues are open seven days a week, and you can walk through the doors of the Cricklewood branch in NW London 24/7. There’s take-home prizes to be won, slots games, three licensed bars, two restaurants, a staggering 2,700 seats, TNT Sports, Sky Sports, parking, ATMs, wheelchair accessibility, party nights, live music… need we go on?
Expect just as top facilities at Merkur Bingo Northampton (1200 seats) and Merkur Lowestoft in Suffolk too (623 seats) which spans two floors offering views of the harbour from the balcony.
FOOD MENU
Looking for a quick bite or a substantial meal? Get your tastebuds ready!
Try Merkur’s full English breakfast & hot drink for £7.50 or if you’re popping in for a main meal, pick from pies and baps to burgers, curry and saveloys all at fair prices. Merkur Northampton has a Wednesday £10 ‘night out deal’ which gets you a main meal & hot drink plus main session bingo, and Fridays’ ‘afternoon out’ deal is £12 for the same.
TICKETS
Once you’ve decided on your session of choice, sign up free for a membership card.
You can play electronically or on paper tickets, the aim is the same – complete a full house, double line or single line before others in the room.
SESSIONS
Northampton’s free bingo is on Wednesday afternoons and Tuesday nights, and Merkur offers great options if you’re looking to bingo and party. Meltdown Bingo is simultaneous boogying and playing and though they aren’t as frequent as other bingo live events, the limited tickets for the next event are £5 which is the cheapest we’ve seen. Also worth checking out at Merkur is Glow (in the dark) Bingo, Ladies’ nights, and VIP parties.
PRICES
We recommend visiting in person to see all the fantastic options available, starting as low as pennies. Merkur Bingo’s electronic bet packages are good value for money.
ELECTRONIC TERMINALS
Electronic terminals are perfect for bingo autoplay fans. Use them to order food and drink to your table.
COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Merkur maintains a strong community; the halls are busy, loyal players are known by name, and there’s tons of social events to join.
When it comes to customer service, feedback is positive. Employees are present, know their stuff, and are ready to help.
EVENTS AT MERKUR BINGO
There are too many events to mention across all three venues. We spotted a live Queen NYE party, an ABBA Tribute band, and a Bingo Buddies event that all looked great.
The magic of live bingo is also the live entertainment provided in between sessions and you’re enticed to attend with free tickets, giveaways, and late-night bar hours.
THE FUTURE OF MERKUR BINGO
Live bingo has been a pastime of choice as far back as the 60’s. The game’s beauty is the part it plays in the fabric of the local community. It’s great news that there are brands breathing new life into land-based halls.
Despite the popularity of online bingo and slots sites, the unique experience of live bingo, coupled with substantial jackpots in a warm, friendly setting, makes a strong case for its place on the high street. We believe the appetite for such wins (and the confetti celebration that follow) remains high.
Merkur is truly a great option. Go on, see your nearest venue today!
FIND YOUR LOCAL MERKUR BINGO HALL
| Name | Location | Address | Region | Postal Code | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merkur Bingo Cricklewood | Cricklewood | 200 Cricklewood Broadway | Cricklewood | NW2 3DU | 02084 527 030 |
| Merkur Bingo Northampton | Northampton | Weedon Road | Northampton | NN5 5BG | 01604 589 790 |
| Merkur Bingo Lowestoft | Lowestoft | Merkur Bingo 3 Battery Green Rd | Lowestoft | NR32 1DE | 01502573216 |
| Merkur Bingo Redcar | Redcar | 14-17 The Esplanade | Redcar | TS10 3AE | 01642 481 363 |
FUN FACTS ABOUT MERKUR BINGO
- Half of East 17 (minus Brian Harvey and Tony Mortimer) performed at Merkur Bingo Cricklewood in 2022.
- You can download a Merkur Bingo app to play online, see venue prices and opening times, and more.
Here’s what to expect at a typical Merkur Bingo venue:
OVERVIEW OF MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD
Built in 1996 as Beacon Bingo and now the biggest venue in Europe, Merkur Bingo Cricklewood, with its Guiness World Record for paying out the largest single prize of £100,000 has an atmosphere of anticipation. Big jackpots have been won and good nights have been had thanks to the mix of bingo, slots, live events, and well-priced drinks at the bar, Alma’s Inn.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD LIVE
Located on the busy A5 and with excellent transport links, there are bus routes with a stop directly outside. By train, get off at Cricklewood on the Thameslink which is a few minutes walk away, or Willesden Green on the underground’s Jubilee line.
If you’re in before the main session starts, you can play your favourite slot in the arcade before taking a seat and daubing. If you’re a newbie, we recommend speaking to a colleague who’ll help you get set up for bingo.
GAMES AT MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD
The venue offers 24/7 playing and when it comes to prices, the rule of thumb is to pay £6 for six tickets that covers all the bingo numbers. If you’re planning a day out, you can play main session bingo from 11am until 9.30pm plus extra games including the Cashpot, the National Game, the Link (national’s £50,000 jackpot) and Treasure Chest. Guiness World Record Holder for paying out the largest single prize of £100,00
PRIZES AT MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD
There’s tons! Stamp card rewards (visit on two designated sessions to claim). 4 x £5k houses on the first Friday of the month. Mega Money Night last Sunday of the month with 3 x £10k houses & 1 x £25k. Grand Night Out every Monday evening with 11 x £1k houses. 4 x £2k houses books £2 a set at Big Money Afternoon. These are just some of the jackpots available. And many more!
FOOD & DRINK AT MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD
Take your pick from a bar’s best options – lovely wine at around £5 a glass, lager at about £4, and Tetley’s Smooth Bitter. Members recommend the curry with rice and beans from the canteen-style bistro. Huge portions, tasty, and affordable.
MERKUR BINGO CRICKLEWOOD FACILITIES
Parking, hot food, ATMs, wheelchair access, smokers welcome (outside), bar – quite a list of facilities, we reckon.
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Author
Esther Rubin With a career spanning TV production to writing taglines for pet food, Esther now finds time to write about online bingo and mobile gaming between school runs, crime documentaries, and spotting clever copy in ad campaigns. She works hard to ensure the bingo community is a fair and safe space that supports happy bingo experiences.
