Bingo news
Mecca Bingo Hall Officials Apply for Permit to Build Smoking Shelters for Smoking Customers
Customers at the Black Country bingo establishments could be playing bingo outside when the smoking ban is enforced. On February 16, 2007, top officials of Mecca Bingo were already applying for a license to construct smoking shelters outside of their bingo halls.
Officials said that this is one of the ways for their customers to continue smoking while they play bingo. This decision by the hall comes on the heels of their announcement on February 14th that they will be closing down their bingo hall branch in Wolverhampton City Center's Skinner Street because of the smoking ban that will be enforced on July 1, 2007.
Mecca Bingo Hall located in Bilston is just one of the bingo halls that have applied for a license for a smoking shelter. Other branches of Mecca Bingo Hall that will also apply for a smoking shelter license are Brierley Hill, West Bromwich, Oldbury, Wednesbury, Telford and Birmingham. Max Wylde, the spokesman for Rank, the operator of Mecca Bingo Hall, said that they have identified the Mecca Bingo Halls that will be severely affected by the smoking ban.
Wylde further stated that the smoking shelter is just one of their plans to help save the profits of the bingo halls. Just about 26 employees will be absorbed in other Mecca Bingo Hall branches across the nation and about 230 jobs are at risk across the country. Wylde said that the branches will be closed down in a matter of weeks. He added that the smoking ban was just 1 of the main reasons why they suffered a 15% drop in their profits at their bingo halls in Scotland.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Karen Jacobs