Quote:
Originally Posted by JCB
Personally I'm more concerned about the closure of the Empire Bingo Hall , not that I've ever been inside . But it was ideal for ladies , especially for those getting on a bit , to get out in the afternoon or evening , and to feel comfortable in the place , which would not be the case if many a lady on her own was to go into a pub .
The closure is another result of the smoking ban .
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I don't buy the Observer so I haven't read this news yet - it isn't on the website as I write.
I was a regular at this bingo hall for a few years. The smoking ban did have a disastrous effect on business. Bingo halls make the bulk of their profit in the long intervals when plastic boards are in use.
During these intervals the smokers spent time outside smoking instead of inside spending. You would be surprised to know that a large number of 'old biddies' still smoke.
I only went three times after the ban, but my reasons for not going were slightly different, yet still smoking ban related.
After the ban, the true smell of the place surfaced. The cleaning standards of the place had always left much to be desired. Some 'new' seating had been installed in the place, but it was 2nd hand throw out stuff from some other bingo hall that had been refurbished. It wasn't cleaned before it was installed and never saw a vac or a shampoo after.
Some old biddies are incontinent - I learned by experience which seats were OK to sit at, and which had 'smells'.
The smell of smoke masked a lot of the 'unclean' smells unless you were actually sat near them.
When the smoking ban arrived, the mucky smells were very evident as soon as you walked through the door. Rather than go to the expense of shampooing upholstery and carpet tiles, the management installed plug in spray air 'fresheners' in every available power socket, there were more than half a dozen of them and they sprayed every 15 mins.
I have already reported in other threads that these artificial smells produce asthma like symptoms in me.
On the day I last attended I had paid for my tickets, but gave them away and left within 10 minutes of arrival because I was struggling to breathe.