Residential tower block lined up for iconic Plymouth bingo site

An iconic former Mecca Bingo site in Plymouth is being lined up to be bulldozed to make way for a 23-storey residential tower block.Pre-application documents have been filed with Plymouth City Council for the demolition of the centre on 111 Fore Street in the Devenport neighbourhood.Proposed is a residential building with commercial units on the ground and first floors.Documents describe the Mecca Bingo Centre as an “iconic yet underutilized building with immense potential”.They note the plans aim to transform the prime location into a “beacon of urban renewal” that will benefit people in Plymouth.They added that the comprehensive development plan seeks to “rejuvenate the area and stimulate economic growth while providing high-quality residential options for Plymouth’s residents”.2CA has compiled the pre application report on behalf of applicant Mannheim Piping Material Solutions Ltd. It is hoping to open up the conversion for a residential tower block with a commercial use ground unit.It is not known how many apartments would be created.The former bingo hall was operated until August 2022 by Mecca. It was built in around 1939 as a cinema, opening shortly before the start of the Second World War.After the war, the Forum continued to operate as a cinema until 1960, when it became a bingo hall.