Town may be site of new bingo hall

Published 5:08 pm Wednesday, April 26, 2017

BELHAVEN — B 32. N 64. G 17. … A bingo hall may soon be coming to Belhaven.

At Monday night’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Washington resident Lynwood Thurman approached the board to ask for permission to open a bingo hall in the town.

Thurman said he is looking at a couple of locations, but is seriously considering one off of U.S. Highway 264, near Hwy 55 Restaurant and Food Lion, and has been in contact with the property owner.

“I had one in Washington for about 21 years,” Thurman said, adding he’s also hosted children’s dances in the area. “I will have a security guard, and the hours would be probably from 7 o’clock at night until probably 10 or 10:30.”

He said the bingo hall would not serve any alcoholic beverages, and although he expects a mostly adult clientele, children would be welcome, as well.

According to Thurman, the number of employees there would be contingent upon the number of people who come. He estimated a need for about three employees for every 20 people.

Town Manager Woody Jarvis said to open the bingo hall, a zoning amendment would likely be needed. Jarvis added that there have been a few bingo halls in Belhaven in the past.

“It sounds like you haven’t really nailed down your location, and to me, that would be one of the things that I’d need,” Alderman Steve Carawan said. “I would have, honestly, right this minute a problem saying yes.”

The rest of the board in attendance agreed that a bingo hall would be welcome, but asked Thurman to approach the board at its next meeting with a set location and landlord information before proceeding.

“Don’t hear from me that I’m trying to stop you. I’m not,” Carawan said.

The next Belhaven Board of Aldermen meeting is slated for May 8 at 7 p.m. in the Belhaven Civic Center.