Cowdenbeath's Shorty's Bingo and Social Club set for full re-opening

Shorty's Bingo and Social Club will re-launch fully next Friday (November 8) with a day of special offers and prizes up for grabs.

The premises – formerly Premier Bingo – shut suddenly in August 2023 after the company plunged into administration.

Just several weeks later, the business' former manager, Thomas Wilson, stepped in and announced he had taken over the lease of the High Street bingo hall and planned to revive it.

READ MORE: Plans revealed for bingo hall revival

A fundraiser was set up online to help with costs while Thomas. who has worked at the premises for 30 years, invested his own money to get the place back open.

Thomas Wilson is looking forward to the full reopening of his bingo hall and social club next week. (Image: David Wardle) Since then, club bingo sessions have ran two days a week with special events at the venue helping to pay the bills until his licence to fully open up again came through.

"I am delighted about it but I am very nervous as well because with the club not being fully opened for the last year," said Thomas. "The days we have not been opening, I don't know how many customers will come back on these days.

"The two days we have been open, they have been really busy. The support has been really good. There have been lots of new people coming along.

"A lot of people have not been back because they prefer the electronic machines so we have now got these machines so hopefully they can come back.

READ MORE: Community rallies around for bingo hall return

"Every day I am asked about 20 times when we will be fully opening and I have been having to say I don't have a date – I nearly got a t-shirt saying it! It has been a long haul but we have eventually got there."

From November 8, the bingo hall will be open six days a week offering a variety of game plays.

"There will be electronic bingo, paper bingo, table top bingo – there will be special prizes on the Friday," added Thomas. "We have been doing old Friday night pub bingo on a Tuesday and Friday and we were doing the events as well.

"These have been supporting the club for paying the bills and they will be staying. There are going to be events on the Saturday as it is a social club and bingo hall, not just a bingo hall. We have been having private birthday parties, wakes for funerals and different things, It has been good to support the community.

"The staff have been absolutely amazing. They have been working their socks off doing these part nights and mentally supporting me."