Gala Bingo in Aylesbury to be demolished

Gala Bingo in Aylesbury will be demolished and turned into a public space under a £5m Buckinghamshire Council plan.

Cabinet members voted through the plans on Tuesday, bringing forward the regeneration of the town centre.

Councillors agreed a proposal to regenerate the closed former Gala Bingo site on the High Street.

Their plans include a scheme to create a ‘new public realm space’ for Aylesbury and to use the site as a temporary new hub for local businesses while a full business case is worked up for the site’s long-term future.

It is expected that the site of the derelict bingo hall will become a mixed-use development of a similar size to the footprint of the site.

The plans are part of an overall £5 million investment in Aylesbury town centre, which will see a new walkway also installed on the Gala Bingo site.

The council said this would open up the link between the High Street and the Exchange, improving walking and connectivity around the town centre, which would boost the local economy.

Work has already started on several general improvements to Aylesbury town centre, including upgrading lighting and the power supply in Market Square.

Meanwhile, efforts are also underway to make permanent some pedestrianised street arrangements that were introduced during the pandemic.

Rachael Matthews, the council’s deputy cabinet member for town centre regeneration said: “The Gala Bingo site has been sitting empty for years and is in a key location at the heart of the town.

“It’s always been earmarked for regeneration so it’s great news that we’re in a position to move plans forward for the site.”

She added: “There is a great amount of activity in and around Aylesbury that we’re driving forward to unlock the potential of the town and make it an even better place to work, live and do business in.

“We’re bringing forward empty sites, improving connectivity, and delivering visible improvements while retaining and enhancing the heritage features of our attractive market town.

“These are exciting times, and we will keep businesses, residents and other stakeholders fully updated as these plans progress.”

In another update on Aylesbury’s regeneration, cabinet members also agreed this week to move forward long-standing plans to turn the Old County Offices site on Walton Street into 46 brand new homes in the heart of the town, through a developer who will progress the project.

The council already has planning permission for the development but has since attracted a new developer and won ‘brownfield land release funding’ to help progress its plans for the site.