Eltham bingo hall could become supermarket and housing
Lidl are consulting on plans to build a new supermarket on the site of Mecca bingo hall.
A website has been created highlighting plans for the site which doesn’t waste land with the usual copy and paste house style but has homes above a shop.
A consultation event is to be held on Wednesday 5 November 2025 between 3pm-6:30pm at St Mary’s Eltham Community Centre, 180 Eltham High Street, Eltham, SE9 1BJ.
Lidl have an existing store in the middle of the high street a few hundred metres east. Closing that would draw much footfall away from Eltham high Street to the detriment of other shops.
Site history
The site on Eltham Hill saw Savills look into the possibility of 130 homes on site back in 2019. Proposed housing total now are down to 28 dwellings.
Back then politicians claimed it wouldn’t happen though the site was earmarked in Greenwich Council’s Site Allocations Strategy for possible redevelopment.
With bingo halls struggling nationwide perhaps it’s no longer viable as Lidl state they would undertake plans when the lease expires.
Then again, just this very week Mecca have submitted an application for new signs and lighting at the site. Seems a bit odd if they’re planning to soon vacate.
If the Bingo Hall does close than it would make sense for a mixed use development on the site consisting of retail space and new homes.
With the cost of living crisis continuing with food prices rising energy bills increasing etc. With budgets tight for a lot of people they are looking for value for money when they go shopping. Stores like Lidl and Aldi to provide this. Although it will be sad to see the Bingo Hall close i think the new store and homes would be welcomed rather than leaving the site empty and unused.
I agree with C. If the Bingo Hakl does close when the lease expires. It would be better to redevelop the site sooner rather than later. A mixed use retail/residential site woyks work well at this lication onnEltham Hill. Nothing worse than when a building closes being left empty and disused fot yesrs or even decades.