Cade Lucas
After more than 40 years, the Werribee Bingo Club will call ‘eyes down’ for the final time this Sunday.
Construction works have forced them out of their home at Pacific Werribee and an inability to find a new one has forced them to close and the likes of Debbie Graham to contemplate 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 far from alone in wondering how to fill the void it will leave.
“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 meters with plenty of parking and hopefully near a bus stop.
The parking is making it difficult.”
One venue that ticks all those boxes is the Werribee Racecourse, but Graham said their application was knocked back.
The racecourse would’ve also allowed for gambling, an aspect of bingo that has meant the club can’t access any public venues despite the small amounts of money involved.
“They have a set amount that they want to spend and that does them for the whole day or night.
It’s not like it’s the pokies where people go and lose all their money,” said Graham who added that many play for fun without gambling.
Werribee bingo are one of numerous tenants affected by the rectification works at Pacific Werribee taking place between Target and Myer.
However, unlike others that have relocated elsewhere in the centre or who plan to return upon completion, Werribee bingo’s lease is due to expire anyway.
According to Debbie Graham, minus an eleventh hour reprieve, Sunday’s meeting, expected to attract 400 patrons, will be the last.
“We’re out of options.”
Werribee Racecourse and Pacific Werribee were contacted for comment.
