IF you had a spare £1.6million you could become the owner of the historic former bingo hall in Westbourne.

Goadsby are marketing the former Gran cinema and bingo hall for a staggering £1.6million and it is available to let or for sale.

The grade two listed building was previously earmarked for use as a gym but that has since fallen through.

However divisional director at Goadsby, Grant Cormack, said there was a now lot of interest.

He said: “It has only just come back on the market and there are a number of people wanting to view it already.

“It is a pretty amazing building, we will have all sorts of different uses looking at it.

“There was a lot of interest before, there will be a tremendous amount now.

“It’s just so unique. We rarely have stuff like this on the market.”

Built as a cinema in 1922, the Poole Road building was converted for use as a bingo hall in 1977, continuing as such until January 2018 when it was sold by Simon Bartlam.

He said the number of attendees had fallen to about a quarter of what it was at its peak, meaning the business was no longer viable.

After players dabbed their cards one last time, Mr Bartlam described the hall as “my life”.

He said: “I feel very sad about it, it has been my life.

“It was emotional up there today. People who I haven’t seen for years have turned up. I wish they came more often, then we wouldn’t have to be doing this.

“The people that have come here all these years are what has kept this place going. We’ve tried to keep it going for them, but at a cost to me that, as a small independent, I can’t afford to finance any longer.

“It’s sad but we’ve had a great time and it’s been a great 40 years.”

Discussions had been held about the possibility converting the building into a JD Wetherspoon pub.

Planning permission had also previously been agreed for a gym in the building, plans that have now fallen through.