Edinburgh bingo: New £5m Club 3000 Bingo to open at Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Leith

New £5m Edinburgh bingo club is set to open at the Leith shopping centre

A new ‘state-of-the-art’ bingo club is set to breathe life into a Leith shopping centre which has seen a spate of recent shop closures.

Ambassador Investments Ltd has agreed a long-term lease with Club 3000 Bingo at Ocean Terminal, the UK’s largest independent bingo operator and welcomed the move as a ‘seal of approval’ for the centre’s future plans.

Family-run business Club 3000 Bingo is investing an estimated £5 million in the new club to create what they hope will be a ‘modern and luxurious environment’ to complement Ocean Terminal’s existing mix of retail, leisure and hospitality outlets. Once the new club is built, Club 3000 Bingo will move from its current Edinburgh venue in Manderston Street to the new 27,500 sq ft unit on the ground floor of the Leith waterfront shopping centre.

Proposed Ocean Terminal Redevelopment Ocean Drive View

Brian Fraser, founder of Fraser Capital Management Ltd/Club 3000 Bingo, said: “We are excited to be involved in this new project and look forward to opening our new club next year to add to our growing portfolio. It promises to be one of the best clubs ever developed in the UK.”

Chris Richardson, managing director of Ambassador Investments Ltd, the Scottish owner of Ocean Terminal, said: “We are delighted to welcome Club 3000 Bingo to Ocean Terminal. Its modern approach to creating an environment for a great night out fits seamlessly with our wider leisure offering and we look forward to the club opening its doors next year. We have ambitious plans for the centre and Club 3000’s long-term commitment to Ocean Terminal is a tremendous seal of approval for what lies ahead.”

It follows concerns about the future of the centre following the closure of the M&S food retail unit, which sparked claims it was the ‘death knell’ for the complex. The shopping centre, which currently houses a VUE Cinema, Boots, Starbucks and H&M among others, will see the vacant Debenhams store demolished as part of £100m redevelopment plans.

Under the plans, a northern section of the centre on Ocean Drive is being bulldozed to make way for a hotel, shops, restaurants and a mix of leisure, retail and business uses. There are also updated plans for 293 flats in the new 'residential serviced living development' next to Ocean Terminal, purpose-built student flats are being considered as part of a co-living development.

Ocean Terminal’s major redevelopment forms part of wider regeneration of a ‘town centre’ for the local community. The masterplan will see the centre reconfigured, alongside new homes and public realm to maximise its unique waterfront location and fulfil local aspirations for 20-minute neighbourhoods. The extension of the tram line between Edinburgh and Ocean Terminal, expected to start running in June, will provide connectivity between the development and Edinburgh city centre within 20 minutes.

Donald Syme, who acted for the landlord, said: “Leith is undergoing a huge regeneration, with more housing, transport links and businesses opening up. In its new location at Ocean Terminal, Club 3000 Bingo will enjoy a growing and thriving community. We’re looking forward to working with Brian and his team to make this one of the best bingo clubs in Scotland.”