With the recent budget cuts, that most councils are struggling to cope with, they are all looking for ways to raise extra cash. East Riding Council thinks the solution is to raise the cost of the license that all bingo halls must have to operate. The council has put forward their proposal to raise the license fee from £600 to £1000.
In the past the license fees were set by Central Government but now each council setting their own levels for fees. Other councils have made similar changes, in some cases the license fees have risen to figures close to £4k
This is the latest threat in a long line of blows to Bingo Halls around the country, who are already coping with the massive drop in numbers as their members move over to online bingo in an effort to reduce their own household outgoings. The implimentation of the smoking ban was the first major blow that hit the industry hard but if councils do go ahead and increase the license fees the clubs will most likely be unable to absorb the extra costs over time and it will be passed onto the players who are dwindling in number. How long can your local Bingo Hall survive and will Online Bingo soon be your only option?
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