Back in 2022 when the freehold of the theatre was sold twice, the existing leases held by bingo operators Mecca and Merkur were replaced by a new lease for Merkur. This lease, available to view at the Land Registry, is for the part of the building which Merkur continues to operate as a slot machine lounge. The lease runs until 2037, but the landlord Ruach City Church has the opportunity to ‘break’ the lease on 30 June 2027 by giving 12 months’ notice, and paying a sum of £100,000 before that break date.

We have been told by Ruach that they did not expect the slot machine lounge to be in place when they bought, and they would like to remove the gambling operation which blocks access to parts of the building, and goes against their ethics. Gambling on the church doorstep, combined with local betting shops, also attracts anti-social behaviour in the area.

Triggering the opportunity to remove the slot machines at this first break opportunity would therefore benefit Ruach and the community in the short term, and the future use of the building as a whole.

We have therefore written to Ruach Trustees (and other stakeholders) flagging up this opportunity, the critical timescale and the benefits it would bring if Ruach were to serve notice. We are pleased to hear from Ruach that their board is considering the matter, and we hope to be able to bring an update when we hear from them.