Talk us through your venue in Northampton


It’s a purpose built, fully air-conditioned venue that seats nearly 1,600 customers. We look after smokers by providing them with a purpose-built outside gaming area and our two bars and two restaurants offer excellent value for money. We’re situated on the main road out of town – Weedon Road – towards the M1 and there’s room for 350 vehicles, plus full disabled access, in our car park.


Our customers, along with players in our other five venues, can play for a share of the average £500,000 monthly prize money.


Can you describe Meltdown Bingo for us?


Meltdown Bingo started in April 2009 and is aimed specifically at young people and therefore, essentially, a new market of bingo players. The concept originated in the United States where it’s known as Cosmic Bingo. We’ve adapted it for an English audience but use American style 5 x 5 tickets, to keep things simple and only play for full houses.


We have two drag queens, the Kopy Catz, who present the evenings – and a state-of-the-art light show! The music is loud so the numbers are flashed up on monitors around the venue for the players. Most people use the electronic screens instead of paper these days. We wanted to make it more of an event than just bingo, hence the drag queens – it’s more entertaining! The first 50 numbers are called with music playing and from numbers 51 onwards the music is brought down and the Catz call the numbers and check the winning claims.


To give you a feel for what it’s like, just picture a lively nightclub with dry ice and lots of energy! The music is loud, everyone has fluorescent glasses and wigs on and it can get a bit chaotic! Our acts perform throughout the evening and encourage audience participation. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s a dancefloor or a bingo club to be honest.


Players can play Meltdown on our PhD units where you just tap the screen to mark the numbers. The machine automatically catches up with the player. Originally, we printed glow in the dark bingo tickets – with fluorescent dabbers – but now we have both electronic and paper options. It runs on the last Saturday of every month at Northampton and also at the Cricklewood and Loughborough clubs. The Meltdowns don’t clash so the same performers appear at the other two venues.


How is Meltdown different from traditional bingo?


The fact we play music doesn’t stop people shouting and celebrating! We normally get between two and three hundred at our monthly events and our target audience was originally students. Now we tend to get bigger groups of younger women between the ages of 20 and 30. There’s a smattering of older people too! It’s important to open up the game to new audiences by appealing to them. It feels like a proper night out with loud music, entertainment, alcohol and dancing.


Since November Meltdown Bingo has been sponsored by WKD and they have done some drinks promotions. Last month they brought in a ‘bucking WKD bottle’, which is very similar to a bucking bronco. I haven’t been on it yet!


Do you utilise Facebook?


Our Facebook group has almost 300 members now and is growing steadily. We have someone who is the ‘voice’ of Meltdown who posts information on the ‘wall’ and answers any questions people may have. We try to encourage ideas for themed nights and so far this year we have hosted a ladies night, beach party, Wild West evening and a back-to- school night.


Do you have a website for Meltdown and how did you advertise the first event?


The website – meltdownbingo.co.uk – is linked through to our sister Beacon website. There are plenty of pictures up of past events which should give a good impression of what our nights are like. For our first event last year, we placed adverts in the local newspaper, had an ad on local radio, and placed promotional videos on Youtube. Our Northampton venue is on the main road out of town and we have a huge promotional poster on the adjacent hoarding with our strapline: “Your granny wouldn’t like it.” Thankfully, no-one has taken offence by the poster and some people have actually brought their grandmothers along for an evening.


What would your advice be to any Bingo operator contemplating a Meltdown Bingo session?


Go for it. It’s attracting a new audience. If we have 200 at a Meltdown, half of those will have come for the normal session prior, thus enhancing the attendance for mainstream bingo. The rest of the venue is open to 2am and there’s plenty to keep


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