Britain's bingo halls

Michael Hess visited more than 60 bingo halls across the UK over a period of five years, finding a wealth of strong characters, quirky details and more than a hint of nostalgia.
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

"I took this picture in 2005 in the first hall I visited. I returned there four years later and she was still there, sitting in the same seat." Michael Hess

Lucky Seat. New Century Bingo, Southampton
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

When the bingo craze swept the country in the 60s, many ailing cinemas were converted into bingo halls. Many of the halls kept the sloped cinema seating.

Old Cinema. Flutters Bingo, Biggleswade
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

Bingo clubs spent a lot of money on top-of-the-range décor, using new innovations like wall-to-wall carpeting to make the halls better than people’s homes. For many, little has changed since those days.

Before the Main Session. Paradise Island Bingo & Social Club, Liverpool
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

This is one of the biggest and busiest halls in the country, and is seen as the flagship club by many bingo managers.

Caller’s Podium. Beacon Bingo, Cricklewood, London
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

"Bingo either suits you or it doesn’t. If you survive the first month, you’re in it for life. I started as a handyman 17, 18 years ago. I thought I’d do that until I got a proper job. I still haven’t got one." Bingo club manager, Jack Allen, Newcastle
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

"It would be an absolute disaster if this place closed. I have probably around 10, 12 people who are in here six, sometimes seven, nights a week. If this wasn’t here for them, they wouldn’t go anywhere else. It’s an extension to their own living room." Bingo club manager, Jack Allen, Newcastle
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess

Photographer Michael Hess and writer Maxine Gallagher document many more bingo halls in their book Bingo & Social Club.
Photograph: Dewi Lewis/Michael Hess