Coventry gambling (Casinos, Betting Shops, etc)

Hello, I was wondering if anybody could help me locate the area of where my grandfather's club/casino was that he owned. All I know is that the name of the place is called the Blue Bimbo (I could be mistaken) and that the owner would have been known by the name of Bob Joynes (George to family) and that it was in the city centre If anybody knows of or has heard of this place before, I would love to know more about its history Thanks, mej

An unanswered query from nearly three years ago - anyone help?

Hi all, I`m really putting the grey matter to the test here. I can recall a gambling club in Victoria Street, Hillfields, it was between Vine Street and Canterbury Street where the new houses are now. I remember this because as kids we could get round the side or back of it and there was always bags of used playing cards there - we used to sit there and try to sort them out into packs. When I used to walk past it with my mum shopping she always said it was a bad place as casinos had a dodgy reputation in those days. It would have been about 20 to 40 yards from the entrance to Vine Street, the Bamba or Bambi or Bimbo, something like that rings a bell, this would have been in the early 60s

It was the Bimbo.

You are right about the location, on the left side of Victoria Street as you were heading towards the town. It was always closed during the day so it seemed very mysterious to me as a child. I think the frontage was white at street level, with black trim and perhaps some long narrow windows too high to see in. Possibly dark red curtains too. Tricia or Mayjan will probably remember better than I do. Mum has just added that there was never any trouble there and that before it was a casino it may have been a wet fish shop (she's not sure about the fish shop, though) Edited by member, 4th Jan 2014 3:42 pm

From the www, I find that Bimbo Restaurants Ltd were the licence holder for the Bimbo Victoria Club

The Bimbo was a restaurant for a short time before it became a casino. My sister recalls going there for a meal in 1960. (A special treat for her 21st Birthday.)

The planning application for a gaming club is here.

Hi mcsporran I too came across this planning application but can find no other reference for a casino or gambling club at that address, apart from the slot machine business, and to be honest I used the New Orient next door on a regular basis around that time and can`t recall a club being there. An old school friend of mine has owned a shop in Hales Street for over 30 years, he also ran a business not far from the Bimbo in Hillfields, so I`m going to ask him next time I see him as it`s starting to bug me now !!!!!

Hi MR Just wondering have you any business names or phone numbers for 4 Hales Street for the early 70s as this is where the Bimbo club has led us to ?

Sorry, no

The Bimbo Club in Victoria St Hillfields was owned at one time by Alan Blank, I am not sure if he was the last owner, and I remember another gambling club just down from the Howitzer Club called the Elite Club.

I remember the Elite Club, I was in there one night just for a drink, a friend of mine was playing cards at one of the tables, after a while he asked me if I would sit in for him while he ran his wife home. Well I could not believe it I won every game while he was away and had a wad of money when he returned. My friend put it down to they did not know me and I was a new face at the table. I forget what game we played, some sort of brag I think, I bet the other players were glad when I left !