Bingo news
Bingo and Pub Sales Hurt by Smoking Ban
Since the implementation of smoking ban in pubs and clubs in Scotland, two major leisure industry players have seen a drop in revenues.
The hardest hit was Rank Group, which was slammed by a 14% drop in revenues at its 14 Mecca Bingo clubs in the weeks covering the launch of smoking ban in March until end-June.
Rank group admissions were hit as well with numbers falling by 6% while average spending per head was 9% lower in the 13 weeks since the smoking ban was executed.
Mecca Bingo has invested in interval games that could help minimize the drop in revenues as a result of the smoke ban.
Pub group Greene King reported a 2.2% revenue drop since May in its Belhaven business in Scotland. Still, Greene King noted that the outcome was better than previous initial expectations.
Meanwhile, Pub group sales from its hodings south of the border experienced growth of 5.3% at its managed pub estate.
Green King noted that the trend which leisure businesses experienced shortly after the implementation of smoking ban should serve as a business guide that will push industry players to apply working ideas and strategies in coping with the expected English smoking ban in 2007.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Karen Jacobs