A long standing Aldridge bingo hall will be taken over by a mystery buyer next week.The former Gala Bingo in Anchor Road was put up for sale just last momth by owners Gala Coral after more than 30 years of bingo at the site.
It has already been snapped up by a firm to be unveiled next week.Gala Coral spokesperson Sarah Mercer said.Contracts are due to be exchanged next week on the Aldridge club but we cannot say any more at this stage.More information should be released next week.
The news comes after Gala Bingo in Dudley shut down at the weekend although Gala Coral said it also had a buyer lined up for that site.Gala Coral has blamed the tough economic climate and the hike in bingo tax duty in Aprils budget for the closures.The Aldridge club,which stands in the centre of the town,was formerly the Avion Cinema built in the 1930's.It is a listed building and has been hailed as an example of fine architecture in the past.
It is believed it was on the market for more than £1 million.
The venue was shut on August 1st shedding 18 jobs after owners Gala Coral decided to axe six of its clubs nationwide.
Around 300 customers turned out in force to enjoy a last few games before the closure with many staying from opening until close on the final day.
Aldridge Councillor Tom Ansell said "I am chuffed to hear that some one is taking over whatis a classic building in the middle of Aldridge.We will just have to wait and see what it is to become.
I hope it will be kept for leisure use and not turned in to a mini supermarket or a warehouse or something.There are a lot of rumours going around but we have not been able to establish any of them yetIf it becomes a pub it must be the right sort and not encourage binge - drinking.
Bingo halls have also been hit hard by the smoking ban,which was blamed for forcing the closure of Mecca bingo in Wolverhampton in 2007.
Members there fought desperately to save their club but their efforts were in vain.
Scorces of sports mad youngsters left unable to perfect their skills.
Thieves have stolen a £2,000 bowling machine from Aldridge Cricket Club,leaving scorces of enthusiasts unable to perfect their batting skills.Bosses at Aldridge Cricket Club,known as the Stick and Wicket,are appealing for help to find their valuable machine,stolen during a raid earlier this month.Police are asking people to be aware of any one who may now be trying to sell it.Thieves struck at the club,located at the Green,Aldridge between 09.00am and 12.30pm on September 13th.
They forced their way in,stealing the BOLA bowling machine,worth over £2,000,a Bola power unit as well as a storage box.Andy Downes,the club steward,urged anyone with information about the machine to come forward with information.The machine is used by lots of youngsters because we have got a big academy that ranges from around six or seven year olds to 18.
The bowling machine was used constantly throughout the summer.It goes on one side of the field and the kids go on the other,simulating a cricket crease and it bowls balls at them at different speeds and heights
Its a very large machine,so there must have been more than one of them to get it out of there.But club chairman Jon Rowley who has been at the helm for three years,said the thieves had not taken the legsthat the machine stands on,meaning it can not even be used.He said the loss of the machine would hit the 154 year old club very hard.We have just finished the season but when coaching resumes in a few months,it will have a really big impact.We may have to start fund raising to purchase a new one.
PC Tony West,from Aldridge neighbourhood policing team said that the stolen equipment is very distinctive and fairly specialised,so there is every chance it will stick in some ones mind if advertised to the public.
Any one with information should call Aldridge Police on 0845 113 50000
An Aldridge church is getting prepared for a big celebration to mark its 40th anniversary.Duing its four decades St Thomas's Church,Aldridge which opened on September 13th 1969,has seen hundreds of worshippers and community members pass through its doors.The church centrer, in St Thomas's Close,has been a base for scouts,Girl guides,Beavers,Cubs,toddler groups,Bible study groups and even its own football team.It has also helped create hundreds of friendships through the Coppy Hall Friendship Club,which welcomed local pensioners for fun filled afternoons and evenings of music,dance and Easter bonnet parades.
Former Walsall F.C. captain Peter Hart,now minister at St Lukes Church in Cannock,is one of the most high profile names to pass through the church.Rev Hart,who made close to 500 appearances for the Saddlers during a 10 year career was involved with St Thomas's Church,later prompting him to devote his life to the church.
For church member Jim Chalmers a retired Walsall College history lecturer,the anniversary has provided the perfect opportunity to delve in to the church's history since it was set up to serve the newly created Kinghayes Estate. in Aldridge.
The 62 - year old,originally from Merseyside has been trawling through photographs and collecting peoples memories,joined by fellow parishoner Clive Thomas.He said "When we moved to the area we were looking for a church and St Thomas's just stood out to us.Its a happy,family - orientated church".
Celebrations will begin on September 25th,with a Caribbean themed night of food and drums from 19.00pm.On September 26th fathers,grandfathers and their youngsters can have some fun at the Wide Awake Club,from 10.00am while in the afternoon there will be a family fun session.
From 19.30pm a Christian magician,choir and guest artists will perform.Celebrations will be rounded off on September 27th at the Sunday worship at 10.30am
Olan Mills photographic studios today became the latest casualty of the recession,closing stores including its branch in Anchor Road,Aldridge,and leaving thosands of customers out of pocket.
It shut all its 34 businesses,including its branch in Anchor Parade,as it went into administration today.Many families have paid hundreds of pounds in advance for photos.But they were left unsure as to whether they would ever receive their photos.
The company had previously collapsed in 2006,resulting in the closure of the main call centre in Walsall town centre but the Aldridge store survived on that occasion to become part of a management buy out.
A multi-million pound scheme for a visitor centre in Barr Beacon may not materialise for some time, said council chiefs today, as they admitted other projects were a priority.
The £2.3 million scheme failed in a bid for funding in 2007 and Walsall Council was forced to withdraw the application including a cafe, children’s education room and community exhibition area. Council chiefs have failed to secure alternative sources of cash and said today it could be some time before the visitor centre dream is realised.
The authority is looking to slash £13.4m from its 2009/10 spend and has already axed 50 jobs, cut library hours and scrapped the Walsall Illuminations.
It also emerged earlier this month workers could face a pay freeze and cut in working hours to offset a predicted £5.6 million overspend for this year.
The Barr Beacon proposals were put forward as part of the £50 million Black Country Urban Park bid which was scuppered in December two years ago.
It came second in the ITV People’s Millions competition organised by lottery chiefs where the scheme was backed by the four Black Country boroughs.
It secured 29 per cent of the vote while the winning Sustrans cycle network bid supported by 79 local councils received 42 per cent.
Since losing the TV vote there has been no sign of development and although the authority insists it remains committed to the scheme but they are no nearer to finding funds.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader and chairman of Barr Beacon Trust, said: “We remain committed to a visitor centre at Barr Beacon but unfortunately in the current economic climate we are having to prioritise our spending.”
A postmistress from the Black Country conned elderly customers out of thousands of pounds by tricking them into punching in debit card pin numbers twice.
Jasvinder Kaur Uppal helped herself to nearly £5,000 after her victims unwittingly made double withdrawals from their accounts.
Walsall Magistrates Court heard yesterday the 37-year-old, who faces jail, was caught out after Royal Mail launched an investigation into banking transactions carried out at the branch, in Lazy Hill Road, Aldridge.
Mr John Dove, prosecuting for the Post Office, told the hearing Uppal had stolen a total of £4,970 over a six-month period by targeting elderly customers with Post Office accounts.
“Money was taken on 29 occasions from vulnerable customers at the post office who did not become aware that their accounts had been debited twice until they were approached by Post Office fraud investigators,” he said.
“She admitted taking the money saying that she had got family problems.”
Uppal, of Wilkes Avenue, Bentley, Walsall, admitted 10 charges of theft totalling £1,840 and asked the court to take a further 19 offences involving sums totalling £3,130 into consideration.
Mr Dove told the court she had been of good character prior to the offences committed between November 2008 and April 2009.
Chairman of the bench Mrs Sheena Parry told Uppal the case would be transferred to Wolverhampton Crown Court for sentencing. She was given unconditional bail until October 27.
After the hearing a defiant Uppal, who still runs the shop adjoining the post office, said she blamed the computer system.
