THEY were banking on a celebrity being invited to open a new bingo hall in Southampton - and they were not disappointed.
Fans turned out in force to watch Gareth Gates perform the opening ceremony at the Leo Leisure facility, which occupies part of a former TSB building in the High Street.
Gareth, 38, was runner-up to Will Young in the first series of the ITV talent show Pop Idol in 2002.
Despite not winning he was soon signed up by Simon Cowell to the BMG label and went on to sell more than 3.5 million records in the UK.
A crowd gathered on the pavement outside Leo Leisure ahead of the opening.
A huge cheer went up as a member of staff opened the large wooden doors. Gareth appeared shortly afterwards and cut a ribbon that had been placed across the entrance a few seconds earlier.
He waved to the crowd and shook hands with several people at the front of the queue.
Once inside the old banking hall - a huge space decorated in Leo Leisure's blue and white colours - the popular singer-songwriter spent several minutes signing autographs and posing for photographs.
Gareth performs shows on Southampton-based cruise ships and often passes through the city.
The new bingo hall, which is capable of seating 400 people, is open seven days a week. Converting the building cost more than £1m.
Manager Simon Phillips said: "It's been a lot of hard work. People have been working flat out and putting in long days.
"We've managed to keep all the original architecture, inside and out. Everyone who has seen it says how nice it looks."
Seven years are taking part in Pop Idol Gareth entered the world of musical theatre, playing the title role in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre.
His other roles have included Marius in Les Misérables, Eddie in the musical Loserville, and Warner in Legally Blonde.
In 2013 he toured in the musical Boogie Nights with members of The Osmonds, plus Louise Lytton and Shane Ritchie.
Plans to turn the bank into a bingo hall were given the go-ahead by the city council earlier this year.
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