Bingo hall bosses to fight shelter refusal

Bingo hall bosses are appealing against a decision to refuse a smoking shelter with a PA system that would enable customers to play outside.

Gala Bingo hopes to overturn Walsall Council's refusal of its plans for the shelter at the club at St James Bridge in Park Lane, Wednesbury. The company unveiled plans for the outdoor area, which would have its own games machines.

The idea came after bingo halls saw membership plummet in the wake of the smoking ban. But while other clubs have been successful in their applications, Wednesbury's was turned down because the materials proposed were too flimsy and fears that the shelter would interfere with parking.

Now club bosses are awaiting the outcome of an appeal to the planning inspectorate over the scheme which, it says, is needed to survive.

No-one at Gala Bingo was available to comment on the matter today.

Shipley's Bingo Hall in New Road, Kidderminster, was one of the first to install a loudspeaker and gaming machines in its shelter, in November 2007.

The covered hut features bingo machines and a loudspeaker to relay the selected numbers, while smokers are kept warm by heated lamps.

When players have got a full house, they press a button to inform the caller, who can check their numbers electronically.

Gala Bingo at Jerome Retail Park in Midland Road, Walsall, hopes to build a similar area.

Halls in Wolverhampton are also intending to follow suit.

The smoking ban has led to a number of bingo clubs shutting down in the region. Mecca Bingo's hall in Wolverhampton city centre's Skinner Street closed in 2007, despite a campaign by members.