By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CONSTRUCTION on the new Hallam home of Fountain Gate Bingo will start in January, according to its manager.
James Rooney, Fountain Gate Bingo’s venue manager, expects the business to open in Technology Circuit, Hallam, in mid-2014 after its construction and said the current venue will remain trading up until the changeover.
“It will be a smooth transition.
“We will close our current centre on one day and then be open at our new site on the next day,” he said.
“We close on Mondays anyway so, hopefully, we can move in on the Sunday night and be ready to start in Hallam on the Tuesday.”
Mr Rooney, who said design plans for the new bingo centre were already completed, lodged an official permit application for the Hallam site in May.
The development comes after the end of a 28-day appeal period on Tuesday following the City of Casey’s decision to grant Fountain Gate Bingo the permit to use and develop the vacant Hallam lot.
In a unique turn of events, all bar one councillor opposed the Casey planning officers’ recommendation to refuse the permit application lodged by Mr Rooney.
Cr Rosalie Crestani opposed the bingo centre’s move following concerns that it would reduce the availability of industrial land to be used by for manufacturing or warehousing.
Mr Rooney said he and the other Fountain Gate Bingo employees weren’t surprised that the council approved the permit because there were several other local bingo centres already situated in industrial areas.
“We were all in a positive frame of mind. All the staff are excited about the prospect of moving,” he said.
“We were confident it would go through because of what we do for the community.”
The planning officers’ report also questioned the Hallam site’s accessibility to public transport but Mr Rooney said this wouldn’t affect the bingo participants because the majority of them drove cars to the venue.
“Over the years we have asked our bingo players to complete surveys to see how they get to the centre and it showed that only one person on average a day travelled by bus,” he said.
“We are also very busy with night bingo games when there is no public transport.”
Mr Rooney said next year’s move will give the staff a chance to revitalise the bingo centre.
“We will have a purpose-built venue in Hallam that will meet all our needs,” he said.
“Technology is a big part of bingo now and the comfort of customers is vital.”
