Green light for Kettering bingo hall's exciting transformation

The transformation of Kettering’s former Gala Bingo hall has moved one step closer after exciting plans were given the green light.

The historic High Street venue has been vacant – apart from its infamous £3m cannabis factory – since the last full house was called when the bingo hall closed in 2018.

Campaigners had it listed as an asset of community value in a bid to safeguard its future as it sat in a state of disrepair, with break-ins and a suspected arson attack.

Last year developer Hanif Properties submitted two applications for the site, one which included a food court and another which included business units.

A proposed rooftop restaurant was dropped from the plans in December – and now North Northamptonshire Council officers have approved the schemes.

Alison Holland, from the Kettering Town Centre Partnership, said: “The most important thing for this building is that there is someone in there using it, and if they’re using it in a way that means people can go inside and enjoy themselves it’s really positive.

"Eateries are quite social and we know they bring footfall into the town.

"They (the owners) have put a lot of effort into this and we all hope it goes well.”

Workers spent months clearing the site last year with asbestos removed.

It has been agreed that the ground floor front section of the building, hospitality units one to five, and the communal seating area would be used for retail shops, financial and professional services, cafes and restaurants.

The upper floor would be used for retail shops, financial and professional services, cafes and restaurants, a gym, indoor sports and health and fitness.

It’s not yet known who could occupy each unit, when further work could start or when the site could open to the community.

Approving the plan, a North Northamptonshire Council planning report said: “It is considered that subject to conditions the proposal would bring regeneration benefits to Kettering town centre, in terms of vitality and viability, and would be acceptable in terms of character and appearance.”

Built on a former drapery store, the site was opened as Regal Cinema on Boxing Day in 1936 by Earl Spencer.

In 1947 it was taken over by Granada Theatres and hosted several concerts, eventually closing in 1974, before it was later taken over by Gala Bingo who closed it in 2018.

The site, with its art-deco frontage and auditorium, made headlines around the world in June 2019 and was even depicted in a 'Ganja Bingo' Christmas card from fellow High Street shop The Bean Hive.

Officers found a full house of 2,000 cannabis plants there, spread across two rooms right under shoppers' noses, potentially worth almost £3m in value.

Just four months before that another drug farm set up by brazen criminals had been discovered there by 'urban explorers' who went inside.

But despite a huge investigation and forensic evidence which was gathered the case file into the 2019 raid was closed almost a year later, leaving police frustrated.