Cigs-mad bingo fans get their own shelter
THEIR customers have bingo-ing mad about the smoking ban - so Doncaster's Mecca bingo hall has splashed out £80,000 on a smoking shelter!
Staff at the bingo hall say they have seen fewer full houses since the ban was introduced a year ago - on July 1 2007 - and they hope the shelter, which opens this week, will make for happy housey housey fans again.
And players can even take portable electronic bingo boards outside with them - so they won't miss a game!
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Manager Rob Short told The Star: "We saw a real exodus of customers last July. The same thing happened in bingo halls throughout the country and a lot of other businesses like pubs as well.
"Things seemed to have picked up a bit since the autumn - people started coming back then. I guess they just missed their game of bingo, and we've maintained steady business since then.
"However there is still a decrease in trading since the ban was introduced. I think it's a fair guess that about 40 per cent of the people who come here are smokers, so it was bound to have an effect.
"What we've found is that people haven't necessarily stopped coming but they tend to come less often. Those that used to come three times a week now only come once or twice, or people stay for less time - they'll go home an hour earlier than they used to. So the ban has affected business.
"Some non-smokers have stopped coming too because they've noticed that as we've got less people in, the prize boards have been reduced."
Rob hopes the new shelter will see more legs eleven walking through the East Laith Gate bingo hall's doors.
"The shelter's actually on the first floor where we play the bingo, so that's going to be a real help. People find it really annoying to have to go all the way downstairs to go outside for a cigarette. It's also heated so we can use it right through the winter."
And Rob's idea has certainly clickety-clicked with bingo lover Nora Porter from Harworth.
"I've been smoking since I was 14 and I've no intention of stopping now," the 79-year-old said. "My mam used to slap me around the ear for smoking and that never stopped me and the Government won't be able to stop me.
"I'm not giving up bingo either, though it is annoying having to come and stand in the street to have a smoke ."
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