B&M gets green light to move into former bingo hall to create new large store in Fife town

B&M Bargains is already situated in the Queensway Retail Park in Flemington Road but the company will now relocate to the old Buzz Bingo outlet to become a much larger Homestore with a new external garden centre.

Proposals emerged last summer after B&M Retail Ltd bought the bingo hall - which was under the County Bingo banner for many years - in January 2021, with Buzz Bingo confirming the Glenrothes branch would close just a few weeks later.

B&M said its current site was too small, and confirmed the larger bingo hall site would accommodate its plans to create a B&M Homestore which offer DIY goods, garden and outdoor-related products on top of their usual fayre.

The proposed development will result in the direct employment of up to 60 full-time and part-time jobs.

A spokesperson for B&M said: “The provision and retention of local employment and the wages generated is a significant positive benefit.

“The increase in earnings will generate associated wider benefits for the local economy through increased spending power of residents, which in turn will help support other businesses in the locality.

“There is an urgent need to create job opportunities now particularly given the scale of shop closures nationally, both within town centre and in out of centre locations.

“Private investment is needed to secure employment growth and the Scottish government is relying on private sector investment to stimulate the economy. The government wants the private sector to invest now.

“Accordingly, the requirement for economic investment is a national imperative.

“This continues to be the case even though the economy shows signs of improving.”

The garden centre will occupy part of the existing car park to the rear and, overall, there will be a total net reduction of car parking spaces of 28.

However, a total of 167 spaces - split between the front and the rear of the store - will be retained.

Work is expected to start on site as soon as possible.

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