The Academy Music Group has announced the purchase of the Gala
Bingo Hall in Newcastle. The company plan to refit the building and open it as a music venue as early as Oct this year. The new venue will have a 2000 capacity main space with a smaller
400 capacity room, and will fall under the venue group's sponsorship deal with Carling, i.e. it will be called Carling Academy Newcastle.
Announcing the company's plans for the new venue, Academy Music Group Operations
Director Steve Forster told reporters: "Having grown up in Newcastle, I realise how important great venues are to a thriving local music scene. Since the demise of The Mayfair and The Riverside, Newcastle has sadly been lacking in quality venues. The consequence of this has been that many artists at the larger end of the market have by-passed the City and at the lower end, emerging local talent has not had the platform of a venue to hone their performing skills. Our Newcastle venue will fulfil both of these needs with a 2,000 capacity main auditorium and a 400 capacity second room, both of which will be production complete."