Scottish Smoking Ban Sees Bingo Takings Fall
4 Jul 2006
"Mecca Bingo, which is owned by Rank Group, experienced a 6% drop in admissions, while spend per head was 9% lower in the 13 weeks since smoking was banned in public places north of the border.
"...In the early weeks of the ban in April, Mecca said it was likely players were taking smoking breaks between games rather than spending on other attractions, such as slot machines.
"A ban on smoking in public places in England and Wales is due in the summer of 2007. Established in 1961, Mecca was acquired by Rank in the early 1990s and now has around five million members and 117 sites..."