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Developer to reinvigorate town's Art Deco gem

Alex Pope
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Oliver Mcloughlin The outside of a large art deco brick building, with large windows, that have been boarded up. It has an entrance, also boarded up, a sign, and steps leading to the front. Oliver Mcloughlin
Oliver Mcloughlin said hopes his plans for the former Ritz "will keep a lot of local people happy and make it financially viable"

The new owner of a disused former bingo hall, cinema and theatre says he wants to restore its Art Deco façade and convert the building into smaller business units and apartments.

Oliver Mcloughlin, 34, from Investment Street, bought the Ritz in Rushden, Northamptonshire - formerly Flutters Bingo and Social Club - for £400,000 after it was put up for sale for £625,000 in late 2022.

He said he was in "awe of the building" - first opened in 1936 - and would engage with locals about demand for repurposing it.

A spokeswoman for Rushden Town Council said it was pleased with the initial plans and welcomed "sympathetic, quality development".

Oliver Mcloughlin The inside of a former cinema, theatre and bingo hall, with rows of seats in a balcony area, the seats are blue and red, with a red patterned carpet, orange walls, red ceiling, and seats with some tables. Oliver Mcloughlin
The upstairs of the building would be ideal for a small cinema, arts space or conference area, Mr McLaughlin said

Mr Mcloughlin, who is based in Old Stratford and owns a number of properties in the county, said: "I was attracted to the size of the place, I love architecture and history, so the frontage of that building looks amazing.

"I want to engage with the local community, speak to agents to see what demand there is," he said, and any plans would be subject to planning permission.

He said it was a "non-starter" to reopen it as a bingo hall, adding: "It's way too big and it doesn't make sense from a financial viewpoint."

Although he does not have any "official plans" everything will be subject to planning permission, he said.

Investment Street Oliver smiling at a camera, in a kitchen, wearing a black T-shirt, his image is in the camera lens. The kitchen is pale in colour, you can see a microphone with a cover on it, Investment Street
Developer Mr Mcloughlin has regularly appeared on the BBC TV show, Homes Under The Hammer

The building has a theatre with upper stalls that can seat about 200, which he hopes to retain as an independent cinema, comedy venue or conference space.

"I want to restore the front of the building to it's former glory, put the Ritz back, take the bingo sign off, and the art deco entrance will also be revamped," Mr Mcloughlin said.

Roger Barnett An inside of a building showing carpet, with R on it, a staircase, a close up foyer, with green stipes, large front doors, white walls and art deco lights in the ceiling.Roger Barnett
The foyer of the building in the 1970s with many Art Deco features still on show

Parts of it will be converted into about 10 residential flats or apartments, to make it commercially viable, with the potential for "a penthouse that would be a great viewing point, possibly the highest building in Rushden", Mr Mcloughlin said.

"There was a lot of fear the place will get destroyed and the frontage will be coming down, I want to reassure everyone that it won't happen, it will get restored and it will look beautiful," he added.

"This was a property that nobody else thought would be financially workable, I love the awe of the building, I have a team behind me, it's the biggest project I've even done and I hope more people will like it than not."

Roger Barnett The inside of the Ritz, with a stage, all set up for bingo, with bingo counters, large art deco lights, rows of seats with tables, all numbered, with an ashtray on a counter.Roger Barnett
A view of the Ritz stage in the 1970s, set up for bingo

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