BINGO could be making a "Kwik" comeback to Bury!

After an absence of more than three years, players of the popular past-time may no longer have to travel outside the borough for an evening of housey-housey entertainment.

Supermarket giants Kwik Save are behind the proposed relaunch of bingo in Bury.

However, the long awaited return of the number crunching game will come at a price.

The existing Rochdale Road Neighbourhood Centre, which houses the Kwik Save supermarket, would be scaled down to make room for the new bingo hall.

Two planning applications have been submitted to Bury Council. One is to make use of the current building, half retail, half bingo, while the second scheme involves the creation of an extension to the store. One third of the building would be used as a shopping centre. Amanda Powser, a spokesman for the retail giants told the Bury Times: "The project is very much in its early stages. At present we are just fact finding to see whether it is possible to transform Bury's over-sized Kwik Save store into a bingo hall.

"We do not have any plans to close the store and no jobs would be lost if the project is given the go-ahead."

Miss Powser added: "We have identified a demand for a bingo hall in Bury and we believe the general public and our customers in the town will welcome this."

One local bingo fan, Mrs Ivy Robinson, regularly travels with a friend from her home in Unsworth to Middleton to play the popular lotto game.

She said: "I know lots of people have to go out of town to play, who would like bingo back in Bury.

"At one time many of us signed a petition calling for a bingo hall in Bury, but nothing came of it. It would be good if something comes of Kwik Save's plan."

If the applications are approved by the borough's planning chiefs, the new bingo hall could be up and running by next year.