De Luxe: Uncovering the fascinating history of the Hastings bingo hall

The Deluxe is part of Pelham Place that was built in 1820 as a row of impressive seafront houses. From 1857 there was a seafront landmark of a a cannon which was captured from the Russians during the Crimean War. It was eventually melted down for munitions during the Second World War.

Local historian Steve Peak said: “In 1898, six Pelham Place houses were demolished and the ‘Hastings Empire Theatre of Varieties’ was built. This music hall opened on 1st April 1899, with the famous Marie Lloyd topping the bill. A surveyor said it was ‘very substantially built of brick and terra cotta, and of concrete and iron construction throughout’.

"Following a partial re-design inside, the Empire was relaunched in August 1903 as the more wide-ranging Hastings Hippodrome. New attractions included a film show and “Paul Conchas (cannon ball juggler), Zanfretto & Napio (musical knife grinders), M Slippere (blind pianist) and Michael Braham’s Educated Dog.”

“But in the following years this was not successful, so in 1910 the Hippodrome was converted into the ‘Royal Cinema de Luxe’. A thousand people turned up at the self-styled “finest cinematograph theatre in the world” on its opening night on 19 November.

“It remained a cinema until 1965, being usually known as just ‘The Deluxe’, which is pronounced locally as ‘deloo’ rather than ‘delux’. Then on 25 July 1965 it re-opened as the De Luxe Bingo and Social Club, with the last film a few days before being She, starring Ursula Andress.

“In 1970 major changes were made to the building, with the bingo moving to the upper floor and the ground being given over to amusements machines. Some councillors opposed the controversial project, but the proprietor Harry Simmonds was given the go-ahead by the Council's planning committee as long as he closed Harry's Old Town Bingo premises on the corner of All Saints Street and Rock-a-Nore Road.”

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