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Smoking ban means number's up for bingo hall
7:00am Monday 22nd October 2007
HUNDREDS of bingo players have been left without their local hall because of the smoking ban.
Despite New Century Bingo in Woolston, Southampton, having more than 4,500 members on their books and seeing some 1,500 regulars every week, bosses at the venue say it cannot carry on with people heading outside to smoke or staying at home to play online games on the internet.
Members who regularly travel from miles across the city to the hall, which was converted from The Picturehouse cinema more than 30 years ago, say they have lost a vital community centre and that many elderly residents in the east side of the city have grown to depend on it.
"I've been coming here since it was a Picturehouse in the 1970s, and remember watching Bridge Over The River Kwai," said bingo fan Mary Allott from Thornhill.
"Then I came to play bingo and have been coming all these years, I don't know what I will do now it is closed."
Pam Holmes, 74, from Kanes Hill, said she came to play bingo with her husband before he died.
"He loved coming here and I still come here because it feels like the only place I can still be with him. Now that it's closing I have to say goodbye to him again," she said.
Staff at the New Century Bingo hall said they were also sad to leave and said an emotional goodbye to members as they played their final games at the venue in Portsmouth Road yesterday.
"It is very sad for members who have been coming here for years and it's also sad for Woolston," said bingo caller Kevin Greenman. Some of the staff are being moved to New Century Bingo's second Southampton venue in Shirley and others have taken voluntary redundancy.
Assistant manager Rachel Edwards said it was sad they had to close suddenly but she believed the company had no choice. "We have suffered since the smoking ban and there's also the problem of online bingo everywhere and that has hit everyone."
Miss Edwards said the company was also thinking about the future of bingo in the area and that they would lose out to national company Gala when it opens the planned store in Thornhill as part of the £25m complex planned for the old Jewson builder's merchants in Bursledon Road.
"It is a sad day for people in Woolston," she added.
Paul Redwood, acting manager of New Century Bingo in Shirley said: "Unfortunately the smoking ban is affecting bingo halls around the country. Many independent places have closed or are closing."
Mr Redwood said the company had no plans to close the venue in Shirley and added that at the moment it is not yet known what will happen to the historic Woolston building.
Your Say YourEcho
Turn it back..., says...
8:15am Mon 22 Oct 07
Simon Templar, Southampton says...
8:37am Mon 22 Oct 07
Bus Driver, Southampton says...
8:55am Mon 22 Oct 07
I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited.
As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closure
mangobean, Eastleigh says...
9:30am Mon 22 Oct 07
Bus Driver wrote:On the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my family out to the pub for lunches etc.
This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closure
I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray afterwards.
Big Dan Gleebles, Soton says...
9:56am Mon 22 Oct 07
mangobean wrote:Spot on.
Bus Driver wrote:On the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my family out to the pub for lunches etc.
This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closure
I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray afterwards.
Kim, Bitterne Park says...
10:04am Mon 22 Oct 07
Bus Driver wrote:Complete rubbish, the clubs I go to are doing well because measures have been put in place to accommodate the smokers, although personally I would let them freeze outside.
This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN,
I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited.
As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closure
Too many venues reacted rather than planned for this event...well tough luck if they couldn't plan a strategy to cope...its nationwide, you can't get away from it, so the choices are give up the disgusting and expensive habit or stand outside like the social pariahs that you are.
mark, Leicestershire says...
10:28am Mon 22 Oct 07
keith, test valley home of the MIGHTY SANDRA GIDLEY says...
10:37am Mon 22 Oct 07
Ian, Turkey says...
10:48am Mon 22 Oct 07
keith wrote:Morning Keith.
Morning ian, Well this may seem a rather stupid question,but since the smoking ban,what happens in all the discos ? does that mean that they are not allowed SMOKE MACHINES ? If that is the case, the next thing they will do is ban DRY ICE machines as well in case anybody slips up and injures themselves !!!
If that is the case, it may curtail your nightime clubbing activities.
Not that there is much in the Mighty Sandra Gidley territory.
Lasers in clubs will be the next one to go.
me, totton says...
12:01pm Mon 22 Oct 07
The rise of on-line accessabilty has gone up.
I wonder how much of it has to do with the smoking ban and how much has to do with that.
Ivy DebbieJoJames, Chandlers Ford says...
12:14pm Mon 22 Oct 07
Ian, Turkey says...
12:32pm Mon 22 Oct 07
Ivy DebbieJoJames wrote:Hmmm.
Anyone for a fag?
Seems like a nice boy, my luvvy.
John, England says...
1:03pm Mon 22 Oct 07
mangobean wrote:So you going to the pub for the first time in four months (smoking ban started 1 July) is going to stop the financial problems for these businesses? The hype was all about hordes on non-smokers who would be flocking to pubs to replace smokers once the ban came in...3 times a year won't make much difference.
Bus Driver wrote: This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closureOn the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my family out to the pub for lunches etc. I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray afterwards.
Ah, but, says...
1:06pm Mon 22 Oct 07
mangobean wrote:You have been able to take your family to restaurants with those same advantages for years, now. Why should pubs have to adjust to accommodate people who have elsewhere to go?
Bus Driver wrote:On the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my
This is one of many more business to close in the future because of
SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a
family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using
pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about
closure
family out to the pub for lunches etc.
I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real
blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to
stink like an ashtray afterwards.
John Ferguson, GLasgow says...
1:21pm Mon 22 Oct 07
com/Zion-Skeptic-Sci
ence_And_SHS.PDF
keith, test valley home of the MIGHTY SANDRA GIDLEY says...
1:25pm Mon 22 Oct 07
mangobean, eastleigh says...
1:40pm Mon 22 Oct 07
John wrote:It's still 3 more times than it would've been and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
mangobean wrote:So you going to the pub for the first time in four months (smoking ban started 1 July) is going to stop the financial problems for these businesses? The hype was all about hordes on non-smokers who would be flocking to pubs to replace smokers once the ban came in...3 times a year won't make much difference.Bus Driver wrote: This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closureOn the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my family out to the pub for lunches etc. I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray afterwards.
mangobean, Eastleigh says...
1:42pm Mon 22 Oct 07
Ah, but wrote:Smokers also have elsewhere to go, so that is no argument.
mangobean wrote:You have been able to take your family to restaurants with those same advantages for years, now. Why should pubs have to adjust to accommodate people who have elsewhere to go?Bus Driver wrote: This is one of many more business to close in the future because of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about closureOn the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my family out to the pub for lunches etc. I went out on Saturday night for the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray afterwards.
Why should my children be subjected to harmful smoke whilst in a public house?
Ms Fylan, Hythe says...
1:50pm Mon 22 Oct 07
caz, soton says...
3:25pm Mon 22 Oct 07
Complete rubbish, the clubs I go to are doing well because measures have been put in place to accommodate the smokers, although personally I would let them freeze outside.
Too many venues reacted rather than planned for this event...well tough luck if they couldn't plan a strategy to cope...its nationwide, you can't get away from it, so the choices are give up the disgusting and expensive habit or stand outside like the social pariahs that you are.
That's just charming Kim!
Ah, but, says...
5:08pm Mon 22 Oct 07
mangobean wrote:Where else do smokers have to go? Home, presumably? Why should they? Pubs have always been smoke-filled, everyone has always accepted this, and now all of a sudden it's "think of the children!". Nonsense
Ah, but wrote:
mangobean wrote:You have been able to take your family toBus DriverOn the contrary, I am now more inclined to take my
wrote: This is one of many more business to close in the future because
of SMOKING BAN, I for one have stopped going out to place that we as a
family regularly visited. As winter comes I can see less people using
pubs, and clubs. Causing finnacial problems for some bring about
closure
family out to the pub for lunches etc. I went out on Saturday night for
the first time in ages and it was real blessing not to be breathing
smoke all night and for my clothes not to stink like an ashtray
afterwards.
restaurants with those same advantages for years, now. Why should pubs
have to adjust to accommodate people who have elsewhere to go?
Smokers also have elsewhere to go, so that is no argument.
Why should my children be subjected to harmful smoke whilst in a
public house?
Why should the populace of a pub - an adult-oriented location, with adult activities being carried out therein - have to curb themselves in deference to children? You choose to take your children to a pub, I say it's your lookout if they are then exposed to smoke (which is, now, of course irrelevant), drunk people, profanity and anything else that goes on in pubs. Far too many times I've heard adults, acting exactly as they are entitled to, being chastised by irresponsible parents who choose to exercise their "right" to take their children to a "public" house. Children have no place in a pub. The fact that many pubs choose to allow children in is neither here nor there, it is unfair to suddenly start turning an adult hostelry into a creche. What's next? Going to nightclubs and then complaining about the noise? It may be called a public house, but if you choose to interpret that as "open to all of the public" then you're a naive fool. Pubs are for adults, end of story. Your kids have no place there
Pauline, says...
8:10pm Mon 22 Oct 07
As an member there i dont think was the smoking that drove people away...
Mangobean, Eastleigh says...
8:12pm Mon 22 Oct 07
I agree that there are certainly pubs which I would never dream of taking children to. There is nothing wrong with a good old fashioned 'boozer'. In fact I prefer these types of establishments when out with the lads.
It is the pubs that are trying to win the 'family' market that I was referring to in particular.
Perhaps it would have made more sense to re-categorise 'public' places like pubs into three types.
1 - Adult only smokers choice.
2 - Adult only non-smoking.
3 - Family orientated non smoking.
That way each establishnebt could poll the patrons and make it's own decision.
That way everyone would have been a winner.
Kim, Bitterne Park says...
10:36pm Mon 22 Oct 07
caz wrote:Yeah, the truth hurts doesn't it ?
Complete rubbish, the clubs I go to are doing well because measures have been put in place to accommodate the smokers, although personally I would let them freeze outside.
Too many venues reacted rather than planned for this event...well tough luck if they couldn't plan a strategy to cope...its nationwide, you can't get away from it, so the choices are give up the disgusting and expensive habit or stand outside like the social pariahs that you are.
That's just charming Kim!
As a chronic asthma sufferer, I object to my health being impinged by those who actively choose to wreck theirs by smoking...I have no choice about my lung condition but I do now have choice about where I socialise. Smokers can still go to the same places, they just have to stand outside for all of 10 mins at a time...awww diddums, my heart bleeds for them !
Dave Man, Woolston says...
11:04pm Mon 22 Oct 07
bingo.co.uk/">Playin
g Bingo</a> carried a story about the the <a href="http://playing
bingo.co.uk/bingo-ne
ws/2007/10/bingo-ass
ociation-report-on-s
ocial.shtml">damage the closures do to communities</a> carried out by the Bingo Association. I'm surprised at some many of the negative comments about the game - what harm has it ever done any of you?
Ian, Turkey says...
7:23am Tue 23 Oct 07
keith wrote:Being a member of the Plaza, and help out with some productions, the genie will still appear in a puff of smoke. As it ie ok to smoke on stage, as long as it is in the script.
Still no answer about my smoke machine question.What about the Plaza ian, when its panto time,no puff of smoke in aladdin when the genie appears ?
bingolover, southampton says...
5:50pm Tue 23 Oct 07
To suggest that the support from the regular customers hasn't been there is an absolute disgrace and the company should own up to the fact that THEY have been unwilling to support the community that has lined their pockets for the last eight years.
Gemma, southampton says...
11:20pm Mon 29 Oct 07
and yes im a smoker and i go outside even my own house as i have children!
mandyv, cambs says...
2:04am Tue 30 Oct 07
Bus driver, given you have a high risk job with all the diesel fumes you are subjected too everyday, you are a very brave man.
I also no longer go out, but I have saved lots of money for a nice holiday, to a nice tolerant friendly Country, who have made provisions for everyone.
Duty frees almost pay for the holiday. The antis were never going to fill all the venues, smokers have partners, friends and family.
It is the elderly I feel sorry for, who speaks for them?
A blanket ban was NOT, wanted by the majority
If you think this ban is wrong and you would like a voice,
Please go to www.freedom2choose.i
nfo/
WE NEED TO FIGHT THIS TOGETHER
http://petitions.pm.
gov.uk/PublicSmokeRo
om/
We need to get this ban amended to include ventilation,
Please help us, with your support and donations are very welcome, large or small
Ghost towns will be on the rise.
The antis will not be paying compensation to those venues that have been affected by the ban.
It is not their money to lose, they were never banned from opening smoke free venues,so why didn't they?
Graham, Planet Earth says...
5:20pm Tue 30 Oct 07
LG, Southampton says...
1:17pm Sat 2 Feb 08
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keep, looking behind you says...
7:55am Mon 22 Oct 07