M.E.C.A. Swindon

M.E.C.A. Swindon (commonly styled MECA Swindon, with the name standing for Music Entertainment Cultural Arena) is a live music, entertainment and events venue in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It occupies a distinctive Art Deco building whose history stretches back to 1929, when it first opened as The Regent Theatre. Over the decades the building was successively taken over by Gaumont in 1952 and renamed the Gaumont Theatre, then by Odeon in 1963 and renamed accordingly, before later serving as a Mecca Bingo hall for around thirty years until it closed in 2008. After two years standing vacant, the venue was reopened in December 2010 under the MECA name, and it has since been refurbished and rebranded. As a venue, MECA operates across several strands of entertainment. It hosts live music concerts, comedy nights, club nights, family events and roller discos, and it is also available for private hire, including weddings and corporate or private functions. Its programme has featured a wide range of music artists and comedians, and its regular events include a comedy club and roller disco sessions for families and over-18s. The venue describes itself as one of the largest licensed venues in Wiltshire and markets its Art Deco architecture as a distinctive setting for weddings and private events. MECA is a privately operated venue brand rather than a listed public company, and it functions as a local cultural and entertainment landmark in Swindon. Its identity is closely tied to the heritage of its building, which it actively promotes through a dedicated history page on its website, tracing the site's evolution from The Regent Theatre through the Gaumont and Odeon eras, its long period as a bingo hall, and its current incarnation as MECA.

The building that now houses MECA Swindon opened in 1929 as The Regent Theatre, an Art Deco style venue in Swindon. In 1952 it was taken over by Gaumont and renamed the Gaumont Theatre. In 1963 it was taken over by Odeon and renamed accordingly, becoming the Odeon Cinema. It was later transformed into a bingo hall, operating for around thirty years as Mecca Bingo before finally closing its doors in 2008. The building then sat vacant for two years. In December 2010, the venue was reopened under the name MECA, standing for Music Entertainment Cultural Arena. Since reopening, MECA has hosted many entertainment acts and recreational events. Music artists who have performed at MECA include Ed Sheeran, Example, Thin Lizzy, Annie Mac, Public Image Ltd, The Hoosiers, Chase & Status, Wheatus, Ocean Colour Scene, The Boomtown Rats and Buzzcocks, as well as comedians such as Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown and Katie Hopkins. The venue has since undergone refurbishment and new branding, and it continues to operate as a live entertainment and events venue, promoting its Art Deco heritage and offering its spaces for weddings and private hire.

• 2021

  Refurbishment and new branding completed.

• 2010

  Reopened in December as MECA (Music Entertainment Cultural Arena).

• 2008

  Mecca Bingo closed after around thirty years of operation.

• 1963

  Taken over by Odeon and renamed the Odeon Cinema.

• 1952

  Taken over by Gaumont and renamed the Gaumont Theatre.

• 1929

  Opened as The Regent Theatre.

A historic Art Deco entertainment venue in Swindon offering live music, comedy, club nights, roller discos and private event hire, described as one of the largest licensed venues in Wiltshire.

• Live music concerts

• Comedy Club

• Roller Disco

• Club nights

• Wedding venue hire

• Private event hire

1. 1MECA Swindon | Entertainment and Live Music Events, Venue Hire in Swindonmecaswindon.co.uk
2. 2The History of Meca | MECA Swindonmecaswindon.co.uk
3. 3M.E.C.A. Swindonwikidata.org
4. 4Meca, Swindonen.wikipedia.org