Top Ten Bingo the gaming operator that owns land based bingo clubs as well an online bingo site has rebranded some of the bingo clubs it operates. The move is believed to get away from the Top Ten Bingo brand which has been through difficult times in the last few years.

Top Ten at its peak expanded to more than 40 land based bingo clubs and was seen in the industry as was of the most aggressive companies looking to expand. Top Ten was buying up smaller operators at what turned out to be well over inflated prices given the changes in legislation that hit the industry just a year or two later. Most of the expansion plans were believed to be financed through share sales and borrowing money. As the smoking ban hit the share price went from pounds to pennies and financial problems with the banks started.

Today the companies has sold or shut nearly 20 of its bingo clubs and many of the other club would be sold if the company could find a buyer. While many bingo companies were able to invest in retaining their customers as problems hit, Top Ten had such significant short-term financial problems that it had limited resources to use for promoting its business. Many of their managers were left running business that had no hope of survival without such investment and it was inevitable that the club doors would close. At times the club managers had to empty machines more frequently and leave them with low levels of floats to ensure the company could meet its banking covenants.

Top Ten has rebranded some of its clubs already including Mansfield and Barrow to the Apollo brand. It is claimed that Top Ten intends to have the following clubs under the Apollo brand Barrow, Mansfield, Mexborough, Beaufort Park, Rhyl, Tony Pandy, Cambourne, Durham and Caernarfon. It is thought that the jury is out on the future of the remainder of the estate and the company is not looking to invest money into assets that will either ultimately close or be sold off. Some of the clubs are already being offered for sale.