Star Weekly is looking back at some of the best stories from 2023, this is one of them.
July 12
After more than 40 years, the Werribee Bingo Club has called ‘eyes down’ for possibly the final time.
Sunday’s meeting was the last at its Pacific Werribee home, with construction works and the end of its lease forcing the club to look elsewhere.
With no new venue found, the likes of Debbie Graham are have having to adjust to life without it.
“I’m 59 this year and I’ve been going there since I was 18,” said Ms Graham, an employee of the club and one of many wondering how to fill the void it has left.
“Our bingo is a place where people come and meet up with friends and for some it’s all they’ve got.
“ For a lot of people, they mightn’t be able to get out to another bingo.”
Ms Graham is referring to the club’s mostly elderly membership, which while still sizeable, is increasingly immobile, complicating the search for a new home.
“With the elderly they can’t travel too far out, we’re trying to find a place in the near vicinity for our patrons,” she said.
“We need somewhere over 700 square metres with plenty of parking and hopefully near a bus stop.
“ The parking is making it difficult.”
Werribee Bingo is among many tenants who’ve vacated Pacific Werribee since rectification works between Target and Myer began.
However, unlike other tenants that have relocated elsewhere and plan to return upon completion, Pacific Werribee’s general manager Ryan Ling said the the bingo club and shopping centre had already decided to part ways.
Werribee Bingo chairman Dominic Cichello confirmed the decision to leave Pacific Werribee was mutual and was confident the club would be back.
