Pensioners in a North Whales council estate have been battling to play bingo after an eight foot fence was erected in place of the shortcut they had been using to get to Llanddulas Royal British Legion, where they enjoy regular bingo games. Now these old age pensioners have to endure a 200 yard uphill walk through the estate, or miss out on their favourite pastime.

As many of the elderly players battle with asthma or heart issues, the long walk is simply too much – causing them to have to stay at home rather than join their friends at their local bingo club.

One such pensioner is Edna Bowyers, 79, who lives in Maes Cynbryd and has a friend who lives at number 39. Edna says about the fence, “One lady feels she’s in a prison. She can’t get to bingo on Tuesday afternoons because she has to go the long way round. She even showed the committee her nine sets of tablets and two inhalers for angina and asthma.”

On the other hand, Llanddulas RBL trustee John Jones said, “People are blaming us but we’ve done nothing wrong. Residents think they have the right to come through the gate, but they don’t. There was never access through the gate to anyone other than the tenant of number 39, under an agreement between the Legion and Conwy County Council dating from August 1982. This ended when Cartrefi Conwy took over the bungalows in 2008.” Whatever the outcome, these bingo players now face a tough choice – walk the distance to play, or sit at home and miss out on the fun.