The nights are drawing in, the dark is upon us even earlier, and the season of trick and treating has arrived. During the cold, wintry months of the year it’s always a nice idea to warm up and have fun at a bingo hall, but did you know that some of these bingo halls are actually haunted? What would you do if you spotted a spirit lurking around the corner while you were listening for your numbers to be called? Check out these three famously haunted bingo spots in the UK and USA. You’ll never look at bingo halls in the same light again.
- Spooky Sutton
Like many Bingo Halls in the UK, the Rosehill in Surrey used to be a cinema. The bingo hall is noted for the appearance of a strange figure called the “Grey Man”. This apparition is said to wander the hall and cause a range of spooky things to happen. In 2011 the building was investigated by ghost hunters who saw some chilling things that no one could explain. It is believed that the Grey Man is the spirit of a man who hanged himself when the building was a cinema.
- Chilling Chatham, Kent
Did you know that a bingo hall in Chatham, Kent is actually haunted by the so-called “Man in Green”? The shadowy figure stalks the halls at this popular place, which used to be a shelter house during the war as families stayed there when their houses were bombed during the Blitz. The hall was formerly a cinema, and during the war became a shelter. But the building was tragically hit one night in a bombing raid, and an adult and three children lost their lives. In the 40s, many people reported hearing odd noises in the building, and in the 1970s several sightings were made of the Man in Green. A psychic who came into the building to investigate made contact and said the man’s name was Bill Malan. It turns out this man used to work in the cinema and wore a green uniform.
- Magical McLaughlin, South Dakota
People inside the bingo hall at McLaughlin in South Dakota, USA, say they see footprints on the ground that could not have been made by a human. They also claim that they hear the cries of a child and footsteps around the building when everyone has gone home. Perhaps it is not surprising that these ghostly apparitions appear – this bingo hall was built on the site of an ancient Native American burial ground.
If you’re spooked by these stories but you still love bingo, try playing online instead. It’s the perfect way to unwind, at any time of the year.