Leap of faith for bingo hall
7:00pm Sunday 30th March 2008
Comments (20)
A FORMER bingo hall could be transformed into a church and multi-purpose community centre under ambitious new plans.
After hearing rumours the bingo club in Moordown was to close, Bournemouth Community Church (BCC) approached Gala Coral to discuss the company's plans for the Wimborne Road site.
Negotiations between the two parties are currently underway and BCC has now submitted a planning application to Bournemouth council.
Under their proposals, the former Moderne cinema building will be converted into a multi-functional community complex.
This will house the current activities of BCC but will also be available for local theatre groups and other community organisations to use.
The upper level of the existing building will become an 800-seater auditorium while the lower level will be suitable for children's clubs, training rooms and community fun days.
The rear of the building will operate as a self-contained youth centre with a sports hall and a chill-out lounge area.
There are no proposals to extend the building and the only external alterations will be a new entrance and lobby area.
In paperwork submitted to planners, BCC argue the change of use will probably result in lower traffic and activity levels than generated by the bingo club.
Greg Rawlings, BCC operations manager, said: "Predominantly we currently meet in two schools in the area and we have been looking for a place of this sort of size for a while.
"We're excited about our plans because we feel the building could offer something for everyone. We know there are lots of local theatre and community groups who could make great use of the space."
Your Say YourThisisdorset
Emulated, Bournemouth says...
10:48pm Sun 30 Mar 08
fedupwithjobsworths, Moordown says...
9:10am Mon 31 Mar 08
Anastasis, Bournemouth says...
9:50am Mon 31 Mar 08
I hope the council see it the same way too and are not lured by the possibility of using it to try to meet government housing requirements (see http://www.north-dor
set.gov.uk/news/hous
ing_land.pdf)
Anastasis, Bournemouth says...
9:51am Mon 31 Mar 08
http://www.north-dor
set.gov.uk/news/hous
ing_land.pdf
Anastasis, Bournemouth says...
9:53am Mon 31 Mar 08
Anastasis wrote:I give up! Echo please could there be a better way of adding comments to your news stories.
Trying with the link again:
http://www.north-dor
set.gov.uk/news/hous
ing_land.pdf
In summary the info at the link says the following:
As part of a government-led programme Councils are being asked to assess the amount of land available for housing development in England. This process is known as a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). SHLAAs will provide the evidence base to support the delivery of sufficient land to meet the communitys need for more homes. The Assessment is being carried out in line with current government guidance. In order to plan for the future and ensure each Council is making the best use of land, the assessment must identify sites which could potentially be suitable for housing. There is no guarantee that suggested sites will be appropriate for housing development. The Assessment will rigorously examine all sites to determine their suitability. In Dorset, this exercise is being undertaken jointly by all Councils across the county Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset, Poole, Purbeck, West Dorset and
Weymouth & Portland.
Andy_roo, says...
6:20pm Mon 31 Mar 08
Emulated wrote:You could be wrong!!!!!
Nice idea but sorry there is not a chance this will come about. The alterations and running costs will amount to a fourtune. Gala will want the maximum they can get for it all. I believe it would become a liability to investors and in time will become housing land.
muffin the mule, wallisdown says...
9:25pm Mon 31 Mar 08
Andy_roo wrote:no 'emulated' is spot on,its a commercial property with a substantial value in the marketplace Gala are not a charity - this proposal wont bear fruit
Emulated wrote:You could be wrong!!!!!
Nice idea but sorry there is not a chance this will come about. The alterations and running costs will amount to a fourtune. Gala will want the maximum they can get for it all. I believe it would become a liability to investors and in time will become housing land.
Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West says...
11:57pm Mon 31 Mar 08
Give the support to this project and the BCC, and we may have some sort of entertainment project set up. If we cannot have it in town, lets at least have something in our own area.
B.Fair, east howe says...
11:58pm Mon 31 Mar 08
Church Community facilities would be over provision in this area which already has Moordown Community Centre, the Little Theatre in Jameson Road, St John's Church Hall etc.
Andy_roo, says...
8:03am Tue 1 Apr 08
muffin the mule wrote:Muffin i think you may be wrong!!!!!!!!
Andy_roo wrote:no 'emulated' is spot on,its a commercial property with a substantial value in the marketplace Gala are not a charity - this proposal wont bear fruitEmulated wrote: Nice idea but sorry there is not a chance this will come about. The alterations and running costs will amount to a fourtune. Gala will want the maximum they can get for it all. I believe it would become a liability to investors and in time will become housing land.You could be wrong!!!!!
Lambertini, Poole says...
2:59pm Tue 1 Apr 08
Carl Barron, Dorset says...
8:32pm Tue 1 Apr 08
muffin the mule, wallisdown says...
6:59am Wed 2 Apr 08
Lambertini wrote:oh its that old chestnut eh? and i get fed up listening to people like you who have to shout down the one person who DOES provide homes for people who have none just out of personal dislike and i bet you have never even met Dave Wells ,if he doesnt provide - can you ? NO thats right you cant so button it
Wonderful idea! Infact any idea that will stop you know who building anymore of his **** Rabbit hutches at our expense is to be greeted with open arms! I'm fed up with our Council Tax Money lining Mr Wells pockets (Via his tenants Rent Rebates).
Jonny, Alum Chine says...
2:18pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Jonny, Alum Chine says...
2:27pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Jonny, Alum Chine says...
2:28pm Wed 2 Apr 08
The-bleeding-obvious, Bournemouth says...
9:28pm Wed 2 Apr 08
muffin the mule, wallisdown says...
4:10am Thu 3 Apr 08
Jonny wrote:and you are a shrewder man than many on here who knock the name every time it pops up - i am with you for any percentage of his income ,in the past i have been poor..its not recommended . jealousy across the board is a big factor ,good businessmen are not fools they are invariably ruthless and controlling so many tenants ,many of whom are scammers, requires some discipline.the likes of Dave Wells have taken on the responsibility that the governments of the past have shed in providing and managing housing stock for people who would have otherwise been on council waiting lists - if you deal with Dave Wells as agreed and in a straight way you will never know a problem but when he has to rein a problem tenant in he does it but thats because the tenant is the problem ,they may not be vast palaces of splendor but Dave Wells is the only private landlord who is building NEW units for his tenants ,is that not worthy of some recognition .? i think he enjoys his largely unfounded notoriety ,sure hes as tight as a ducks bottom but he is also one of bournemouths characters and a very skilled developer .at least he has achieved something in his life and will not be easilly forgotten
Muffin, you are the first person I have ever heard champion Mr Wells, all I hear are "horror" stories of his bully boy tactics and greed. As I have never met or dealt with him or his associates I cannot comment but am curious as to why you think underneath it all he is not the ogre he is painted out to be. I do suspect that he is quite a ruthless business man who had the business sense to spot a gap in the market and maximise its potential to the full. Rightly or wrongly you can't knock the fact he is successful and I for one would love even a 1/8 of what he's got. (am prepared to admit jealously of his portfolio!).
Jonny, Alum Chine says...
2:35pm Thu 3 Apr 08
NUMBERS UP: The Gala bingo club in Wimborne Road, Moordown, could become a community church
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Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West says...
7:38pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Personally, like some others, I would have liked to have seen the Moderne turned back to being a fully funtional cinema, with facilities for schools, local groups to show their theatrical talents within the community. Similar to the Regent in Christchurch.
However, it looks like we are half way there, which as I said is a godsend in itself.
If the upper level is being converted to an 800 seat auditorium, would this also include a cinema of a size, having the projector rooms are still available. Projectors would not be required, as most now run from DVD and Plates.
Lets hope it all comes to fruition. Good Luck.