Issuu

The Magazine for the Bingo Industry

May 2022 Issue 4 - £6

IN THIS ISSUE

Buzz Bingo help to treat Mums like royalty on Mother’s Day Meet Stacey Mollart: From bakery to bingo! Majestic: Discovering bingo is for every generation Hijingo, believe in the bingo! LOL Bingo: laughs on the high street

No balls in Bingo! Two copies up for grabs!

The No.1 association for bingo Shaping policy Developing business Driving the industry agenda The association for all things bingo - working with senior management and operators for more than two decades - successfully promoting and developing the interests of all bingo operators. For industry news, comment and information on the benefits of membership, visit www.bingo-association.co.uk Call 01582 860921 or email info@bingo-association.co.uk

Introduction Welcome to Bingo Connect, the magazine for the bingo industry in the UK, and the official magazine of The Bingo Association. Published in hard copy and digital format (available on our website at www.bingoconnect.co.uk), Bingo Connect covers all things bingo, from news of regulatory development and new products, to industry profiles and charity support. Bingo is at the heart of the community and Bingo Connect is at the heart of the bingo industry. Bingo Connect magazine is published three times a year, with www.bingoconnect.co.uk updated regularly with the very latest stories. You can register your email address online to ensure you receive the latest alerts and updates. Bingo Connect is about and for the bingo sector and we want to hear your news and stories: you can share them with us by emailing: info@bingoconnect.co.uk We hope you enjoy our latest edition – happy reading.

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Contents May 2022

Foreword 6

Miles Baron, Chief Executive, The Bingo Association

In proﬁle 28 32

Ian McIntoch, Machine Controller and Engineer at Carlton Bingo Stacey Mollart, GM at Buzz Bingo Castleford

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News round up

Saturday Night Takeaway makes an extra special delivery

Club 3000 Huyton celebrates 25 years!

12 16

Majestic Bingo continue to discover bingo for the generations Buzz Bingo invites customers in Tooting to treat their mum like royalty

Features

Hijingo! A multi-sensory live entertainment experience. The bingo of the future

LOL Bingo: A new concept comes to our hight street

EY takes us through the highlights from the spring statement

Affordability: Poppleston Allen run through improving compliance

42 Publisher The Bingo Association™ www.bingo-association.co.uk

Editorial Editor Miles Baron miles@bingo-association.co.uk

Managing Editor Steve Baldwin steven@bingo-association.co.uk

Production and Advertising Sales Steve Pearce Tel: +44 (0) 117 957 5400 advertising@bingoconnect.co.uk

The Editorial Policy

32 Competition time 31

Eyes down for a themed wordsearch

The views and opinions expressed in Bingo Connect remain principally the views of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publishers. The publishers wish to avoid inaccuracies and whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is accurate, no liability is accepted by the editor or publishers for errors or omissions however caused. Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in this publication remain the copyright of the publishers and may not be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s written consent.

ISSN 2752-6372

Bingo in pictures 42

Past & Present: Bingo’s celebrations and party nights

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Foreword Miles Baron, Chief Executive, The Bingo Association

ear member, at the time of writing the Bingo Industry finds itself trying to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. Incredibly since reopening on May 17th 2021 we have lost two bingo clubs and gained two. A massive credit to the resilience and ingenuity of operators and our loyal customers alike. But when troubles come ‘they come not as single spies but in battalions’ as Claudius observes in Hamlet. The cost of living crisis for our customers, whether driven by the war in Ukraine, Brexit, lingering post Covid impact, energy costs or the increase in NIC’s, all make for a challenging twelve months or more. From a promising end of Feb and early March, we have started to see a softening of admissions/sales, albeit Mother’s Day led to the second best week of trading since reopening. And in the background looms the ‘imminent’ first draft of the Gambling Review White Paper. In general terms the online community are expecting some stringent measures to come their way. For Bingo clubs there appears to be a genuine attempt to ensure that lower risk activities go largely unaffected, however the law of unintended consequences is never far away. Of particular concern is the introduction of a mandatory levy. A levy set at current voluntary levels of 0.1% would be of little consequence, and as a low risk sector acceptable to Bingo operators. But the narrative around this often plucks the arbitrary figure of 1% from the air. This tenfold increase in the levy would impact Bingo Clubs by around £4.8m, a figure that they simply cannot afford, and is unjustified given the benign nature of the sector. So we have to be on our guard. Another area to watch out for is affordability checks. Much discussed in the online space, what does this look like, if at all for land based Bingo operators? Even just implementing formal affordability checks brings with it a nightmare of logistical, technological, and behavioural challenges for us and our customers. On both these issues and more we are working hard with our partners across all parts of the political establishment, DCMS, Local Authorities and the Gambling Commission, to ensure Bingo Clubs are not unduly affected by any measures within the act. There are also some possibilities. Part or full relaxation of the 20/80 Category B rule, use of cashless payments directly onto gaming machines, default playing hours and a broadening of the definition of ‘What constitutes Bingo’ may provide some help to the industry. It has been really exciting to witness the development and launch of Mecca’s exciting new £4m investment in Luton which opened on 21st March. I recommend everyone goes

/ May 2022

to visit when they can to see how the future of Bingo Clubs is evolving. In addition, we look forward to new clubs in Kilmarnock and Southampton opening later this year, and Blackpool in 2023. Back closer to home, our traditional ‘Bingo Caller of the Year’ event launched on 4th April, which will culminate in a Grand Final in November at Club 3000 Wigan. National Bingo Day, our flagship industry celebration takes place the weekend of the 24th June culminating on Monday 27th June. Finally we have some exciting big National Bingo Game promotions taking place, starting with an opportunity to win community prizes to share on every Saturday afternoon in May, and up to £200k additional prize money every Saturday Evening in May.

“The law of unintended consequences is never far away.” Looking ahead it would be nice to focus more time on reporting industry successes and achievements, and less on the regulatory environment and increasingly challenging economic headwinds. Let’s hope that time isn’t too far away!

Miles Baron Chief Executive

News round up

Golf for all (or just dinner!) The Bingo Association is inviting golfers and non-golfers alike to join them at Mottram Hall for this year’s Charity Golf Day and Dinner.

fter a two year forced absence The Bingo Association were delighted to once again start planning their annual charity golf day and dinner, and want to see more lady-golfers and nongolfers take part. This year’s event takes place on 9th June at Mottram Hall, Cheshire and The Bingo Association is inviting non-golfers and lady and gentleman golfers of any ability to take part, and sees two new categories added to the Awards: Winning Lady and Ladies’ Longest Drive: so come on all you lady golfers it’s time to get involved! The BA Charity Golf Day and Dinner is always a popular event and raises funds for the Association’s national charity, currently Variety The Children’s Charity. However, if you are not a golfer, increasing numbers of members are taking a seat at the industry dinner. If you are a golfer, then the opportunity to play in 270 acres of Cheshire’s finest parkland, the venue for the 2013 European Senior’s PGA Championship, should appeal and places are still available Options for attending include golf and dinner at £85 per person, or dinner only at £35 per person, with overnight accommodation also available to book directly with the hotel. Full details of the day, together with booking forms and accommodation information have been sent to Association members and are also available from the Association’s website (under EVENTS).

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Alternatively please contact Sharon Salmon at The Bingo Association: sharon@nationalbingo.co.uk

News round up

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News round up

Best Saturday Night Takeaway – EVER! Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway made an extra special delivery to Jason Davies, Mecca’s Bingo Caller of The Year and main stage caller at Mecca Wrexham, when their ‘Gift On A Shift’ served up a holiday abroad in front of players at the club on Tuesday 12th April.

or the series finale of the national entertainment programme, presenter Jordan North burst through Mecca Wrexham’s main doors, armed with a plane ticket for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday for bingo caller, Jason Davies. The big reveal was part of the fan-favourite ‘Gift on a Shift’ segment, which scouts out hard-working individuals who deserve something extra special. Surprising the players in the club mid-game, Jordan and his camera crew burst in with a megaphone to present Jason with a holiday. Jason was truly shocked, stepping down from the podium full of smiles to receive his well-deserved prize: a ‘Takeaway Getaway’ plane ticket for a one-week trip to his dream destination.

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“ What an incredible moment and a huge shock! “What an incredible moment and a huge shock!” Jason said. “When Jordan appeared with the megaphone I didn’t know what was going on. At first I thought one of our players was getting extra lucky, but then I realised that it was me he was after and that I was live on telly! I can’t wait to get my shades and flip-flops out for my Takeaway Getaway –

now I’ve just got to decide where to go!” After the big event, Jason was the star of the night, posing for pictures with his family, friends and Mecca Wrexham colleagues, plus Jordan himself. As one of the club’s well-loved callers, Jason is widely regarded by staff and guests alike as the face of the venue, known for proudly showing off his collection of commemorative Mecca pins he’s gathered over his 5 1/2 years at Mecca. Prior to making the surprise presentation, producers had been liaising with Mecca Bingo to ensure that Jason would be on shift and that Jordan and the crew were able to hide until the big reveal.

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www.meccabingo.com

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News round up

Club 3000 Huyton celebrates 25 years! Club 3000 Bingo in Huyton has just celebrated its 25th anniversary and marked the occasion with two weeks of celebrations.

he club celebrated with colleagues and customers, running special promotions, including bargain bingo, big money sessions and special parties, held on the evening of 18th March and the afternoon of Sunday 20th March. In hosting both an afternoon and evening event all customers had the opportunity to join the fun and each received a free gift and glass of bubbly on arrival. Regular players also got a special treat when Huyton’s previous manager Karen Gilligan, now manager at Club 3000 Wigan, popped back for the night to see many familiar faces. The Huyton club is very much focused on the local community and prides itself on its customer service. During the parties sixteen members of staff, who have each worked at the club for fifteen years or more, were presented with long service awards.

Julie Honeyman, catering supervisor, who has worked the Huyton Club for 25 years, said, “I was completely surprised to receive my award. It’s a great place to work, we are all like an extended family and this award means a lot to me. I am very grateful for the recognition.” Robert Cahill, who has worked for Club 3000 for 10 years and as the manager of Huyton since 2020 said, “It has been an amazing two weeks of celebrations with our wonderful customers and staff. I am so proud to present these long service awards to staff who have shown such loyalty to the club for many years. The ways of playing bingo may have changed over the years, but the first-class customer service and community spirit at our club has remained the same.”

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www.club3000bingo.com

➜ From left to right: Danielle Moss, Victoria Hulme, Natalie Riley, Julie Honeyman, Richard Murphy, Angela Ridpath, Andrew Bland, me, Carla Rigby, Joyce Mairs, Bernie O’Halloran, Dave Glover and Karen Gilligan (GM at Club 3000 Wigan)

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News round up

Top of the shop! Club 3000 gets ready for new Kilmarnock club

ollowing the announcement of a new Club 3000 bingo club in Kilmarnock, the team opened their membership shop in February, ready for the new venue to open. The shop, at 43 King Street, Kilmarnock is open between 10.00am – 5.00pm every day except Sundays. Meanwhile work has already started on the new luxury club venue, which will offer great prize money and value, and is expected to open late this Summer. Oliver Fraser, Manager of Kilmarnock commented: “We are excited to open the Membership Shop and cannot wait to welcome customers in to meet the team and talk through the plans for the club whilst signing up.”

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www.club3000bingo.com

Eye On The Prize: Majestic aim for another award winning game Following the highly successful launch of their Don’t Find the 9® game, and the accolade of winning the coveted ‘Game of the Year’ Award 2021 from the International Gaming Awards, could Majestic Bingo be in line for another crack at winning Game of the Year for a second time? We caught up with Eric Howell, Operations Director. “We continue to be proud of Don’t Find the 9® and all that it has delivered for our customers, however we have lots more in the pipeline, and will always develop ideas to create a great bingo experience,” Eric commented. “Shark Jackpot’ launched in April and is already getting great traction with our customers, and gives them the chance to win a really chunky jackpot, that should hit £40k+. The rich graphics and game mechanics, again provided by our partners at Willow Communications, help set an exciting backdrop to the game and a soundtrack that gives a nod to the ‘Jaws’ original theme music which helps add theatre, and some tension for the players when the jackpot remains in play.” Shark Jackpot now sits alongside a suite of other games in play at all Majestic Bingo Clubs, including Don’t Find the 9®, Big Wheels and Bingo Instants (Flintstones, Wacky Races, Top Cat etc.), with a number of other games in the pipeline. Additionally, Majestic are also in discussion with one of Europe’s leading gaming machine manufacturers to develop a Don’t Find the 9® as a slot game.

➜ bingoconnect.co.uk

www.majesticbingo.com

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News round up

Generations of bingo

ajestic Bingo’s ongoing customer segmentation strategy, ‘Generations’, is bearing fruit for the independent operator’s 13 clubs, as they continue to discover there is a bingo for every generation! We caught up with Mark Jepp, Managing Director, to see how it all fits together. So what is ‘Generations’ all about? We’ve always tried to segment our customers and provide groups with the most appropriate offers and promotions, but at times, we’ve found it easier to contact everyone with generic offers in the hope that they will spark an interest and encourage them to come along and visit us. However, in more recent times, we felt it important to drive the right offer to the right person at the right time, and working with Mark Robinson, Managing Director at Creative 62, we came up with ‘Generations’, the segmentation of our current and future customers, helping us tailor offers, products and all that our expanding brands can offer. How did you deliver the segmentation? We’ve split our potential customers into four distinct areas, each defined and focussed on their age group and what would appeal to them; this includes Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. This gives us a clear opportunity to provide people from 18 to 80 what we believe they would want from a retail leisure activity, with bingo at the heart of all we do. We wanted to talk directly to an age group without alienating them in any way, by developing an image that creates interest, offering bespoke packages and prizes to suit that particular generation, and where / May 2022

possible, utilising music and imagery from the period. Talk us through one of the areas Ok, let’s talk Baby Boomers! These individuals would generally be born directly following the Second World War, up to around the mid 1960’s. From humble beginnings, this generation would now typically enjoy some of the finer things in life. Having worked hard they are now enjoying the fruits of their labour as they consider, or have already entered retirement. We were keen not to use terms such as ‘silver surfer’ for this important group of customers and we feel the Boomers campaign activity is a fun way to acknowledge this group of customers who provide us with that all important discretionary spend opportunity. And what has ‘Generations’ delivered so far? This was part of our plans to re-ignite the business in a post-Covid world, and as this challenge has been no easy task, we started with the ‘One for the Boomers!’ campaign. This was delivered through a bespoke session on Wednesdays across all of our Clubs, and included things such as bottomless tea and coffee, a 2-course lunch and all bingo for a fixed price point, along with each Club providing its own ‘local slant’ on the centrally initiated product offering. This, coupled with a clear message that this was specifically for this important ‘generation’, helped deliver an increase in admissions of around 20% nationally and also evidenced an

increased spend per head across our other product groups such as machine income. What’s next in your plans? We’ve already started the journey with the Millennials and Generation Z groups with the launch of Clubingo®. This has been widely reported across Bingo Connect before, but spans both generations with our full-on Clubingo® Events and also some Clubingo® Lite Events in our smaller locations. When we simply want to offer additional entertainment after our main sessions of bingo in our larger locations, we do this under the ‘Big Night Out’ banner. Standing still is never an option for us and our desire to continually evolve will see further change over the coming months and years, with a clear remit for all involved, that anything we do remains at the heart of our customer journey and offer products, and entertainment, for people of every age, and every generation.

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www.majesticbingo.com

News round up

ICE kicks off the start of a new era ICE London 2022 opened its doors to the international gaming industry on Tuesday 12 April after a 26-month absence. An orchestra on the Boulevard, the ExCeL’s central concourse, captured the mood at the event with a rendition of the Elvis Presley classic ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’.

tuart Hunter, Managing Director of Clarion Gaming commented: “We were absolutely delighted to open ICE London after a 26-month hiatus. As a team we have been totally blown away by the positivity in the venue, by the energy, and the enthusiasm. “The atmosphere was palpable, some 5,000 business meetings were arranged via the ICE app alone with visitors travelling to London from every corner of the globe. This kicks off a new era for ICE as we plan for 2023.” “The innovative products that have the potential to transform the way the industry does business were very much in evidence across the show floor, which was a key highlight of the week. In terms of specifics the Customer Protection Zone , the biggest and most prominent since it was introduced at ICE London, was a must-see part of the show experience and demonstrated how seriously the industry is taking safer gambling.” The ICE brand has a proud record for providing a platform for fledgling businesses courtesy of initiatives such as Pitch ICE. This year the Pitch ICE finalists as well as being given an invaluable opportunity to present their businesses to a community of influential industry investors, were also given stand space on the show floor. Significantly, VAIX which pitched a few years ago was acquired by Sportradar the day before ICE London 2022 opened. Looking ahead Stuart Hunter added: “The focus is now firmly on ICE London 2023. We have had an unprecedented percentage of re-books from our 2022 exhibitors and hugely positive feedback from those land-based brands who have confirmed their return for next year. This is a new era for the ICE brand and I look forward to welcoming the entire industry to the 2023 edition taking place across 7th – 9th February at ExCeL London.”

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www.icelondon.uk.com

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News round up

Main stage bingo without the main stage! Serving main stage bingo magic without a stage is a sure fire winner for players and operators alike, and has seen 2022 get off to a flying start for Wexel Gaming: investment late last year in a new, state-of the-art digital TV studio at their refurbished Hull headquarters has put Bingo Plus centre stage.

he ‘always-on’ bingo system, Bingo Plus offers a range of games from 10am10pm, every single day. The schedule even includes live-streamed games; called by a presenter, giving players a realistic ‘main stage bingo’ experience. In fact, the experience goes much further, because the players can chat directly with the caller during the game: a fact that allows smaller venues to offer a live, dynamic main stage experience and for larger venues to expand their session offer. Majestic Bingo felt that their Apollo club in Barrow, a typical large purposebuilt retail bingo club, was the perfect choice for their first Bingo Plus installation. The club had a refurbished slots area, so it was an ideal location to be transformed into a new machine and bingo lounge, offering 24 positions across four tables. Throughout the week Apollo are now able to offer bingo in different ways, which during busier sessions, especially evenings, enhances main stage, working in parallel with it. During quieter periods, particularly afternoons, Bingo Plus is used in a hybrid way, working in tandem with main stage product. Outside core times it comfortably performs as a standalone product, offering bingo to customers when they want it. For Majestic, this hybrid approach genuinely gives them the best of both worlds. Operationally, it has slotted in seamlessly. Staff report that it is easy to manage, and that it allows the club team to operate low-cost, low-maintenance bingo sessions: most importantly, it’s an opportunity for / May 2022

them to offer enhanced service to their customers. Mark Jepp, Managing Director of Majestic Bingo said, “We’re really pleased with our new lounge at Apollo Barrow. We’ve tried similar bingo products in the past with little success. Without that “live bingo” element, they just didn’t feel right. But what attracted us to this latest version of Bingo Plus was the live calling and interactive chat. It’s transformed terminal-based bingo into a highly credible alternative to live bingo.

“For us, it’s all about offering our customers choice, coupled with a great bingo experience. Sessional bingo doesn’t suit everyone. With Bingo Plus, we’re able to provide our customers with games throughout the day. It also helps us prop up and enhance the quieter sessions. “Our customers love it, and it doesn’t take them long to get to grips with the system. We’re really excited to see how it develops at Barrow.” LOL Bingo, a bingo lounge and the sector’s newest retail operator (see

News round up

page 34), has used Bingo Plus as a standalone bingo product, alongside a top-class slots area in its Harpurhey venue in Manchester. Through Bingo Plus, LOL Bingo offers a wide range of on-demand bingo games from 10am to at least 10pm, every single day. What particularly appealed to the management team were the live-streamed games. Through them, customers enjoy realistic “main stage bingo” games, called by an experienced and professional presenter, who brings the games to life, and turns a simple game into an entertainment experience. Customers can even chat with the caller in real-time, adding an extra dimension to the game. Thanks to the Bingo Plus network, and the pooled liquidity it offers, LOL Bingo are able to offer customers attractive prize money throughout the day, whilst remaining profitable through a continuous revenue stream. Mike Smith, co-founder of LOL Bingo said, “We went with Bingo Plus because it’s a modern, slick and professionally presented bingo product – perfect for our lounge customers who favour playing

bingo at a time that suits them, and for as long or as little as they like. “It ticks all the boxes for us, and prize money has gradually been on the rise since we launched. We can offer our customers up to £500 jackpots, and even the twice-daily National Bingo Game with its £50,000 jackpot! “As our standalone bingo offer, Bingo Plus allows us to maximise our lounge investment – offering a varied range of bingo games all day, every day.” For some businesses, it’s about

Editorial Got a feel good story, opening or refurbishing a club, celebrating a milestone or something different?

enhancing their overall bingo offer, and for others it’s their standalone bingo product, but whatever their reasons for using Bingo Plus a wide range of operators, including Parkdean Resorts, Merkur and Admiral, in addition to LOL Bingo, and Apollo Bingo (and shortly Coral Island in Blackpool) are seeing an added dimension and valuable revenue stream to their businesses.

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www.wexel.co.uk

44,000

DEVICES ALREADY in players' hands!

www.ecmsystems.net Tel : 01964-672000

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News round up

Mum’s get papped Buzz Bingo invites customers in Tooting to treat their mum like royalty.

atest research conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Buzz Bingo ahead of this year’s Mother’s Day revealed that over half (54%) of Brits wanted more photos of them with their mum. The need to make and hold memories was a clear theme and despite 38% claiming that pictures taken with their mum were amongst their most prized possessions, capturing new ones is clearly not on the backburner for most, who take on average just seven photos a year with their mum. Over a quarter (28%) said they haven’t taken a photo with their mum in at least six months, which may for some be due to lockdowns and Covid, but 15% admitted it’s been years since they posed for a photo together! The survey also revealed that 65% are committed to making more effort with their mum, including wanting to take more photos with them, and 62% want their mum

to feel like royalty on Mother’s Day. So Buzz decided to help and enlisted the assistance of photographer Antony Jones, who has ‘snapped’ the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Meghan and Harry) and royal weddings, and asked him to capture some extra special photographs and make lucky mums feel like royalty. To get things underway television presenter and cctress Joanna Page (known for her leading role in the BBC’s Gavin & Stacey series) and her mum Susan Page, were the first lucky pair to test out the service, enjoying a truly special day out at Buzz Bingo Tooting. The Grade I listed building, previously a lavish cinema in the 1920s and 30s, provided an amazing setting for Joanna and her mum Susan to enjoy time together, playing bingo and creating some new family portraits. Reflecting on the experience, Joanna said; “I absolutely love spending time with my mum, so when Buzz Bingo offered us the chance to be photographed by an actual royal photographer – we couldn’t have said yes faster! Seeing my mum sat on the throne with her very own crown and glass of fizz was just lovely. The experience really is the perfect treat for mums this Mother’s Day. We also absolutely love bingo so it was even better that we could capture special memories whilst enjoying a game.” Mum’s attending Buzz Bingo Tooting on Mothers’ Day had their chance to create their own special memories and be ‘papped’ by Antony Jones!

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/ May 2022

www.buzzbingo.com

MAIN STAGE BINGO without the Main Stage!

Bingo Plus, by Wexel Gaming is the on-demand bingo solution for businesses of all sizes. If you offer main stage bingo, Bingo Plus will enhance it. Working in parallel, it will take the strain on those sessions where main stage might not be viable. It’s equally powerful as a standalone product too, and is used by a number of operators as their “always-on” bingo offer. Thanks to pooled liquidity, you can offer your customers attractive prize money, even during quieter periods.

Live streamed calling Fully-interactive - chat to the caller! 10am-10pm / 7 days a week National Game twice a day

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wexel.co.uk 01482 370 680 May 2022 /

News round up

Calling all callers! The National Bingo Game’s Caller Of The Year 2022

he search is on, for the National Bingo Game’s Caller Of The Year 2022 and for current reigning champion Donna Kunyo to pass on the crown. A main stage bingo caller is the heartbeat of every club; the one who takes centre-stage and breathes fun and excitement into every single session. Their professionalism is essential to the management and hosting a game, while their presence and ability to entertain and command a room is what can turn a good game, into a great game. The National Caller of the Year competition first took place in 1994 and continued for around 15 years before being re-born in 2019, when 50 callers from over 20 operators entered. Following a variety of regional heats and events, six finalists made it through to the Grand Final, with representatives from Buzz, Castle, Carlton, Club 3000, Beacon (now Merkur) and Mecca. Despite it being a competition and the fact that there can

only be one winner, contestants really enjoy the experience of taking part and find genuine support from each other. The biennial competition was due to take place in 2021, but as with so many things fell foul of the pandemic. Caller Of The Year is the perfect showcase for all that is good in the bingo community – the team, the players, the game of bingo and above all else, fun. This year’s competition will be held in three streams: 1. Independent Clubs 2. Buzz Bingo Clubs 3. Mecca Bingo Clubs Callers from Independent clubs will compete in four regional finals to be held on, 29th May, 12th June, 26th June and 10th July. Venues will be announced on the National Bingo Game website and Facebook and Twitter pages. Buzz and Mecca streams will be starting shortly, with each stream putting forward contestants for the Grand Final, to be held at Club 3000, Wigan on 13th November 2022.

Jubilee Celebrations

ingo players and clubs love an excuse for a party and the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen is a truly historical moment, celebrating her seventy year reign. Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on 6th February 1952 and is the longest serving monarch in British history. Official celebrations to mark the occasion are taking place throughout the UK and Commonwealth, and there will be a four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June 2022. Many clubs will be holding special events, parties and games to mark the occasion and we are calling on all bingo clubs to share pictures of their events and celebrations with us, so that we can share and show how bingo communities marked the occasion across the country in our next issue. Please send your pictures to info@bingoconnect. co.uk with a subject heading – ‘Jubilee Events’ and give brief details of the event (what it was, when it took place and where) and also details of who is in the

/ May 2022

pictures. Images will need to be a good size/resolution for publication and please ensure that you have approval from the individuals appearing in the pictures for them to be published, prior to sending them in.

News round up

Testing the waters: NRM at EAG Leading products, a vision for the future and the return of face to face events: it’s great to be back!

fter experiencing a highly encouraging edition of EAG at which NRM exhibited, Managing Director Andrew Ludlow believes that the platform exists for the company and the industry as whole to build for the future. He stated: “EAG experienced the same pattern as most returning in-person events in so far as visitor numbers were down but the quality was up. But the industry seems keen to do business and is prepared to invest in quality products.” From a product perspective, Andrew was pleased with the response to the NRM range. “At the risk of sounding glib or predictable our entire product offering really resonated with visitors to our stand” he stated. “We have a strong portfolio of exciting products for retail gaming locations such as Flexi– Tab, Bingo Express 2, AD-GO and Jigsaw, all of which received attention and orders. We are not dogmatic in our approach and actively seek the views of our customers on the basis that they know the end-user(s) far better than us. As you would expect products do evolve based on such invaluable feedback. This was manifest on our stand and customers appreciate the fact that we not only ask their opinion but that we also act on it.” Such an approach is at the heart of NRM’s strategy working in partnership with customers across the space. One of the more bespoke products that’s meeting if not exceeding expectations is the app developed by NRM for Majestic Bingo. Reflecting on the development process, Andrew explained: “We have evolved the app with Majestic’s customers in mind and it’s tailored to deliver tangible and recognisable benefits. As well as all of the key features such as location, opening times and prices the app is integrated with Majestic’s membership system and serves as a dynamic digital membership card. It’s designed to be the nerve centre for Majestic’s promotional activities and it enables the brand to push-out messages,

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➜ Steve Cook, Andrew Ludlow, Pete Fagg and Freddie Shreeve

promotions and offers to customers who are regular users of the app.” As well as driving significant cost savings and improving engagement NRM apps have also proven invaluable during the various lockdowns and restrictions. “The feedback we’ve had from consumer-facing businesses is that apps helped brands to keep in touch with their customers when they weren’t able to meet face-to-face. Apps are a way of keeping in contact and represented something of a lifeline when retail businesses weren’t able to trade.” Looking ahead to what he is confident will be a brighter 2022 he added: “We re-configured the business during Covid and I’m delighted to report that we are now in a position, based on market demand to further add to the NRM team. There are a number of positions that we are looking to find some great talent for, from software engineers through to technical support. The team has created a fabulous pipeline of opportunities based on a blend of technology, creativity and our ‘whatever it takes’ approach to looking after our customers. For the first time in two years we are able to talk about the future with more certainty and I have to say - it’s a great time to be part of the NRM team!”

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For more information visit: www.nrmgroup.com

May 2022 /

News round up

There’s no balls in bingo! A popular repost to an outdated assumption, and the title of Julian Cotterell’s autobiography and ode to bingo.

aving spent over forty years in the bingo industry there are many who will recognise the name Julian Cotterell and many more who will relate to, if not share, his love of bingo. They say that everyone has at least one good book in them and, based upon reviews, this is Julian’s. Born in Chester, an acceptable length of time ago to be writing a memoir, the son of a Lieutenant Colonel, bingo was not initially the role Julian was drawn to. That was to have been a private detective. How do you jump from private detection to bingo? The answer is simpler than you might think and a not uncommon answer to many of the great quandaries in life we all face: mother. Having discovered that her son was embarking on a career that might prove hazardous to his health, Betty suggested bingo. After all, it does offer excitement and generally speaking little risk to life and limb, unless you mess up on the main stage calling or miss a claim, in which case…. Setting out at the age of eighteen, on a career that would span over forty years, Julian had no idea how long it might last and where it would lead. All he did know is that very quickly after starting he grew to love the job and was immediately absorbed by the excitement of it all. “I was always very keen, somewhat impetuous and soon found myself shooting up the managerial scale guided by dynamic chairmen and directors.” Julian commented. “There were many who guided me, including Jimmy and Simon Thomas, Paul Gregg, David Rogers and Sam Shrouder to name but a few. I owe so much to these ‘motivators’, both in regard to my career success and the / May 2022

enjoyment of it all.” appearances of stars including Ken During those forty years Julian has Dodd, Norman Wisdom, Jimmy worked for most of the major operators Tarbuck and many familiar faces from and a number of independents, in Coronation Street. thirty-five different clubs and set up the Despite loving bingo, Julian was first licensed bingo club in South Africa not (even in retirement) a regular in October 1998. The idea for the book player; his chosen games remain and its title had been at the back of squash and tennis. his mind since the mid 1980s, when he promised himself that he should write a book about the career he has been passionate about. Following retirement Julian and wife Erica moved to Spain, where his mother had been living since 1972. “Erica and I thought about it. No work commitments in UK and too many rainy days, so off we went to the sunshine and to help my mum who was at the time 90.” Julian comments. In January 2020 Julian decided to test the waters and sent thirty pages to two publishers, with a tongue in cheek covering letter, not sure if they would think it We have two signed worth of publishing. Austin copies of the book up for grabs. Macauley Publishers, based in London’s Canary Wharf, Simply send your name and contact details (email wrote back and said they address and/or mobile number) to: There’s No Balls loved it; ‘please send the full In Bingo, Bingo Connect, Lexham House, manuscript’. 75 High Street North, Dunstable. LU6 1JF or Julian and Erica had just email to: info@bingoconnect.co.uk returned to Spain in March Closing date: 10th June 2022. Two winners will that year and motivated by be selected at random after the closing date the enthusiastic response from all entries received by this date from Austin Macauley, Julian and notified directly no later set about his book. Using than 20th June 2022. a microphone he dictated the text direct to his laptop and two months later the two hundred and seventy page manuscript went to the publishers, with daughter Charlene ➜ ‘There’s No Balls in Bingo by Julian having created the cover image. Cotterell’ is available from: Publisher Published late last year the book Austin Macauley www.austinmacauley. is the engaging ‘story’ of Julian’s com , Amazon (in paperback and Kindle), life in bingo and the bingo industry Waterstones, hive.co.uk, and W H Smith itself, full of anecdotes, with personal and Blackwells (pre-order).

National Bingo Game

Bingo’s biggest party National Bingo Day – 27th June 2022

he UK’s first ever National Bingo Day took place last year, bringing together land based and online bingo operators to celebrate the beautiful game. There were lots of great bingo promotions and special games running ahead of the 27th June, which made for an amazing week-long celebration of bingo. The sector is hoping to see bingo’s special day build on last year’s success in 2022. Materials and updated artworks for 2022 are already available and it is time to remind players to get bingo’s special day in their calendar, if it’s not there already! Miles Baron, Chief Executive of The Bingo Association said, “It’s great to see all operators

once again coming together to celebrate bingo in all its forms. Land and online bingo operators both saw a positive trading impact last year as a result of the day, in addition to raising awareness of bingo overall. We have great expectations of National Bingo Day 2022.” Last year over 90% of land based operators supported the day and 88% of GB online bingo sites (all participating bingo clubs and sites are required to be licensed in the UK under the Gambling Act 2005). All ran or participated in special promotions and games on the day, with some also taking to social media to promote National Bingo Day and the game of bingo. The National Bingo Game is planning two promotions specifically around National Bingo Day 2022. Briefs have already been circulated to operators, whilst The Bingo Association will be asking all member clubs to host special charity games on Friday June 24th when local MPs will be invited to their local bingo club to come and call a special charity bingo game and receive a cheque for a minimum of £15,000 in aid of support for Ukrainian refugees.

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bingoconnect.co.uk

National Bingo Day 2022 will take place on Monday 27th June. www.nationalbingoday.co.uk

May 2022 /

Featured article: Hijingo

s the leisure landscape has evolved and broadened, bingo venues recognise that food and beverage, and customer service are key to the delivery of bingo, with many more making the jump in mindset to viewing bingo clubs as leisure venues for delivery of entertainment. Operators with volume venues and larger estates are evolving and investing in their businesses and venues: Mecca just launched their latest iteration of Clubingo in Luton, reported on in our previous issue, but there are also newer, smaller licensed operators coming firmly from the entertainment sector who are shaking things up, and not just the bingo balls. While many licensed operators have their historic roots in a time when bingo was ‘the’ dominant female led leisure activity, in a landscape that had fewer options than today, and bingo was, well, bingo, a new breed of operator is coming through from the entertainment sector. While bingo remains the driving force and permanent headline of their venues, in their offer it is just part of the mix, as the newer recruits to bingo want something broader, more experiential and more engaging, with food and beverage part of the offer. They want a show. Whether that should be a show more akin to a variety show, or one which is all about the drama of the game, there is no clear view, but both formats believe in the bingo and are not only finding their audience but success too. Always eager to explore anything connected to bingo, Bingo Connect decided to experience one such venue and show, where bingo drama is served alongside a menu of Asian inspired street food and cocktails. We set off in search of Hijingo, bingo of the future, a ‘multi-sensory live entertainment experience, with epic prizes up for grabs every single day’. Familiar with a wide range of bingo, from the educational to the competitive, via drag and prize bingo, we were not sure what to expect from bingo of the future. Located in London’s Shoreditch, the same area as other relative newcomer

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Dabbers, it made sense that these cutting-edge bingo venues be located in a city’s entertainment zone. First surprise? We would need to book and probably at least a week in advance for a session on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday with a start time between 6pm and 8.30pm: not something that had ever been required for any visit any of us made to a bingo club, whether it was for earlies, main, lates or any party flyer in between! Could they really be that full? We committed to a Friday night for a 20.00 start time, deciding to go all in and take up the option to play two games, rather than one, and to pre-order food, which would be served at our table. Booking was easy, online and all confirmed via email. It was suggested that we arrive thirty minutes early and have a drink in the ‘Lucky Cat Bar’ before starting. Not fans of bar queues or speed drinking, we agreed to arrive a good forty-five minutes before our allotted time, to take it all. Hijingo is an intriguing venue. Located at street level in a modern building, with neon signs in the blacked out windows boldly proclaiming HIJINGO, surrounded by neon numbers. The sign above the door has been designed in an Asian influenced style, displaying the syllables of the name vertically: HI, JIN, GO. At a quick glance you could easily mistake it for an Asian restaurant, as the reception desk, cloak check and bar can easily be seen through the windows. But you would be wrong. The vibe from the moment you enter is definitely future cities, and very much Asian future cities, though nothing specific - a little like the film The Fifth Element. While we were not checking in for a flight to Fhloston Paradise, the spaceship that cruises above the oceans of the fictional planet in the film, the experience was to be out of this world. May 2022 /

Featured article: Hijingo

Arriving early, the check-in was efficient and the décor very Instagram-able, with neon lighting and signs glowing like a funky back alley in late night Tokyo or Seoul. The fact that there were only two other people in the bar did make the pre-booking requirement seem a little unnecessary. Wrong. Within fifteen minutes the bar was packed, mostly mixed groups of four or more, in their early 20s, with very few groups of single gender. They were up for fun and ready for a great night. The opportunity to pre-meet before the main event certainly added to the build-up as well as being a good management tool, and allowed players to leave the world outside, engage with friends and focus on the experience and venue. Right on time hosts approached small groups of people in the bar to invite them through to the main room. Leading us down a dimly lit corridor, we were not quite prepared for the great reveal of the main room, which was already in full swing: it was exciting, there was clearly something happening here. Players were shown to pre-booked seats, joining people who had arrived earlier and already played a game. The booking system and option for one or two games now made sense in terms of churn and duration of an individual’s visit based on how many games they were playing and the time they were joining and leaving. Seated at carefully designed tables that provided an upper ledge for food and drinks, while also housing a light to directly illuminate your ticket was perfect – especially for those of an age where better lighting is needed for tasks at close quarters – without damaging the atmosphere of the room. We were ready to play! Random flashing lights, occasional bursts from the smoke machine, banging beats, a small main stage, two robot-like

/ May 2022

performance assistants (Hijingo Bots) and all carefully navigated by staff who checked that your glass was full, that your food had been ordered, and crucially that you had your tickets ready. It was organised chaos. It was an event, a happening, and our games hadn’t even started yet! There was no main stage caller, instead we had a virtual master compère booming announcements and then calling the numbers. While the pace of play may put many hardcore bingo players into a trance, there were multiple number boards around the room in case you missed a call and it was the player’s responsibility to stop the game. We played for one line, two line, pattern and full-house, but what followed each claim was pure theatre: there was a false claim or two, which was cheered, rather than boo’ed by players, as they were excited to still be in with a chance to win. Traditional bingo players may find the prizes on offer less ‘epic’ than claimed, but Hijingo players were mad for them: this was about participation and the win. Hijingo branded merchandise (that included flip flops/sliders and sweatshirts), LED enhanced umbrellas and free return visits were all greeted with the same enthusiasm as the top prize, a weekend break for two to Paris. The theatre? How you won or lost your prize, all on stage in front of the audience. There are no anonymous winners here. Every winner, regardless of prize was invited up on stage and escorted there by one of the human robots, who never spoke, but were there to facilitate proceedings and engage with players. There was cheering and clapping, then each winner had to decide on stage, with audience encouragement, whether to stick or twist. This was usually orchestrated through a simple hi/low, or the more dramatic choice of boxes. Either way the crowd entered into the spirit of it with great enthusiasm. There was no top prize winner during out visit but no

Featured article: Hijingo

“ Hijingo, bingo of the future, a ‘multi-sensory live entertainment experience, with epic prizes up for grabs every single day’.” one seemed to mind and, based on audience reaction, I don’t think it would have made any difference to how most people felt when the session came to a close, other than to the individual winner. It was the taking part and shared experience that made it great. Our pre-ordered food arrived during play, with minimal interruption and ordering top ups for drinks was easy. The food and beverage offer mirrors Hijingo’s ‘Asian cities of the future’ vibe and was a big hit with our group and for those who like something more traditional, there was a burger on offer. For big bingo fans in the group the opportunity to play was great, but could have been a little faster to increase the excitement, and for those less enamoured of bingo the choice of Asian inspired cocktails and food would be enough to encourage them back for another game with friends. As our session came to an end and it was time to leave, just before 10pm, the venue was packed with fun seeking revellers, very few of whom were above the age of 30. Could we imagine them swopping places or venues with traditional bingo players? No. Had we enjoyed the experience? Yes. Would we come back? Yes. Hijingo is a licensed bingo venue also offering food, so in principle no different to a traditional bingo club. If you view many traditional bingo clubs, as bingo with a side of food, then Hijingo is food with a side of bingo. There is a clear demand for both, but from quite different audiences, both of which have an increasing expectation of the standard of F&B, some of whom - at some as yet indeterminate point in their future - may cross over, as younger players who discover their love of bingo through experiences like Hijingo move through a consumer cycle. Believe in the bingo: it’s suitable for audiences of all ages. A Vision Of The Future If Hijingo is bingo of the future, who then is the soothsayer so clearly calling bingo’s future numbers? That would be one James Gordon, co-founder and co-owner of Hijingo. A man who hails from the entertainment world, both events and broadcast television, James has worked in the USA (Kids Do The Darndest Things, Wife Swop USA), the UK (Big Brother, E4 and MTV) and China on numerous local studio shows, where, as in many Asian countries, audience and average Jo participation is key to being a hit with audiences. Growing up between Islington, France and Sussex, James’ initial area of professional study and endeavour was Zoology: not the most obvious route into the entertainment industry, but what led him to work on making nature programs with production company Endemol in Bristol. bingoconnect.co.uk

His relationship with Endemol flourished, as he discovered his natural talent for entertainment – not as a performer, but as a producer. We asked James about his bingo roots, Hijingo and the future of bingo. “At the time I was at Endemol people wanted short clips from TV shows, as it was the beginning for the internet, so clips needed to be instantly engaging. As part of my work I moved to New York, which is strangely where I got introduced to bingo. A friend took me to the now legendary and sadly no more, Mo Pitkins, Monday Night Bingo. Located down town on Avenue A it was full of such diverse and larger than life characters and very social, but when the numbers were called for bingo, it all got very focused. I could not believe how the game just got everyone focused and how there was so much fun around the game: it just hit me how fun, sociable, and engaging it was and the community that grew up around it.” With no previous experience or family connection to bingo, it was all quite a revelation for James, who started to explore bingo further, “I have played in numerous clubs and hosted people at bingo clubs, to show how fast the game can be.“ “My first foray with bingo was Rebel Bingo, a touring event, that provided great experience for me in getting a deeper understanding of the type of bingo I wanted to offer. I had been planning ‘my bingo’, now Hijingo, for over fifteen years, as the regulatory barriers are not small and I needed to ensure funding to make sure it was right.” “During that time I played in plenty of commercial clubs and for me they are my commercial model; giving community a place to be and creating a community, through the opportunity to share an activity, with friends. This is my model for Hijingo, which in my eyes is an evolved bingo club, rather than a moment in time, or fashion.” What was the catalyst for realising Hijingo and how did you settle on the design and location for the first venue? “It all came together when I met Adam Breeden, who has had success reinvigorating pastimes like bowling and ping pong, who is also a co-founder of Hijingo. I have done lots of pop-up bingo events in bingo clubs and other venues, which did not allow us to control the offer. We knew that a custom venue would let us manage the full experience, which was fundamental. “Location wise we needed to be in a city where there was an appropriate sized leisure market, and having travelled with Rebel Bingo we were open to possibilities. The key restraint was finding premises that were large enough and May 2022 /

Featured article: Hijingo

well located. As I grew up in Shoreditch when the agents found the space it was easy for me to see immediately how it would work for us. “The club was been designed to be photo ready, playing to social media, so is almost a big television studio. As well as wanting the venue to be ‘camera ready’ we also wanted it to be futuristic, a little bit sci-fi, and it just seems that any city of the future has a cultural link to the Asian tech cities.” It is never easy launching a new business, particularly one that offers something different, who did you believe were your audience and how did you find them? “The audience for Rebel Bingo skewed towards female, and I felt that Hijingo would be the same: females, aged 20-30, playing in groups, both as friends and event-based attendance. “Rather than defining and targeting we went for a more organic approach and with a big kick off, before we opened. We invited a number of key social media influencers down – unpaid, and others approached us. The environment was so original, they were totally up for it. “I had already established quite a following on my personal social media accounts and a wide range of bingo/ entertainment related contacts, so tapped straight into those. Lots of exposure through social media prior to opening really created a buzz for the venue, building up the following and customer database.” Has Hijingo proved to be a success, how do you see yourself in comparison to competitors in the sector and online/mobile bingo? “Hijingo has a capacity at any one time of only 200, but due to the model of game play and customer booking we are churning 1,200 admissions a day at timed sessions. This is a great level of attendance, which peaks towards the weekends, during which time we average 90-100% capacity, with attendance booked out weeks in advance. This is seeing us achieve around 3,500 covers a week, which is great performance. “In terms of competitors, whether that be local (Dabbers) or nationally (Clubingo) and regular bingo clubs, I think that each is offering something slightly different. Some rely on additional games, and/or additional entertainment, others bringing in character hosts, some bring in celebs. Hijingo is just about the bingo – we don’t offer anything else, you can believe in bingo. We purposefully keep the pace slower at Hijingo to allow new players to relax into it and learn how to play. But we want to keep the excitement and hope to shortly be able to offer players the chance to play the National Bingo Game. “All our players have mobile devices, but are out in a venue. That tells you a lot. Right now I think that online bingo is actually more traditional and transaction and data led than club bingo! I believe it has a bright future but needs to adjust to the fun world of entertainment – maybe that’s just my view, but watch this space.

/ May 2022

Having conquered Shoreditch, what next for Hijingo and bingo? “I want to be the number one bingo brand in the UK, so Buzz and Mecca look out! It’s ironic that the future of bingo is in many ways its past, though with more sophisticated venues and better F&B – it’s bingo as entertainment. Exactly how it started. “There is little wrong with the product and no shortage of people who for whatever reason enjoy the process of marking off numbers and lots of research to explain why and how it benefits players, but they all want entertainment and they all want bingo. Just not in the same place at the same time, nor at the same speed. “If people have not been to bingo they probably know someone who has or have seen it on social media pages, whether that is licensed or bingos bingo or some such. “The fact is almost everyone in the UK has an awareness of bingo: there is a big cultural legacy attached to it and people have been waiting for a Hijingo type experience that resonates with current and future time. The fact that we get lots of return customers, who then bring their friends confirms this. “As we have just completed a round of fundraising that will allow us to expand, there are lots of exciting plans, but it’s too soon to share. Certainly the response and audience in Shoreditch have shown the strong appetite that exists for bingo entertainment as a leisure activity.” Finally, do you play? Yes, but only casually. It’s a participation sport! Nothing infuriates me more, than people who talk about bingo and the experience, when they are not in the game!

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For further details visit www.hijingo.com

News round up

bingoconnect.co.uk

May 2022 /

In profile: Ian McIntosh

A life in loose change Ian McIntosh, Machines Controller and Engineer at Carlton Bingo

W ➜ Ian McIntosh, Machine Controller and Engineer at Carlton Bingo

/ May 2022

ho doesn’t love the sound of cash, especially in bingo, where it is very much king, but in an increasingly digital age, and a post covid-era, for many that sound of loose change has been replaced by the distinctly digital sound of the BEEP. Not for Ian McIntosh, Carlton Bingo’s long serving Machine Controller and Engineer. Born in Cowdenbeath, Ian’s career has taken him all over Scotland and to parts of England, but he is now back where it all began: in bingo and in Cowdenbeath, and he couldn’t be happier. While professing only to play bingo very occasionally, and then only to check on the competition, the word is out: he secretly quite likes it! Growing up in Cowdenbeath Ian attended Lumphinnans Primary and Beath High School, both of which are still going strong, while also entering the world of work, as what could be described as a dogsbody. “My first job as a student was as a general dogsbody in a hotel in Perthshire. But I count my first real job as working for Ladbrokes. I was still a student and started, Saturdays only, “marking the board” in the shop. For anyone under 50 this was the task of marking up all the odds of horses and greyhounds racing, using felt pens on a big wipe board for all the customers to see: no monitors or digi-boards. “My first day was April 1st 1977, the day Red Rum won the Grand National for the third time. Every bookies in the country was in complete pandemonium with the number of people who bet on the winner!” From the outset it was clear that Ian’s future would be dominated by numbers, odds and coins, as he remained at Ladbrokes and took up a full-time position. “Numbers were always my thing” he said, “and I ended up working for Ladbrokes for 13 years,

taking up managerial positions in various places in the east of Scotland from Arbroath to Leven and most of Fife.” By 1989 Ian decided it was perhaps time for a change of career and studied the Friday newspapers’ job columns looking for anything that might be of interest. It was not long before he spotted an advert looking for an ‘AWP Controller’ at Granada Bingo: no experience necessary and full training given, it said. “I thought I had the perfect qualifications! No experience, so an application went in the post. A week or so later a letter arrived from Granada, advising me that I apparently did not have the perfect qualifications on this occasion and had been unsuccessful. It was back to the Friday newspapers. “It wasn’t long however before they saw the error of their ways and I received a message to get in touch. An interview followed which I nailed and that was me in bingo.” Having nearly missed his window into the world of bingo, fate played its part and pulled him in. Little did he know then exactly how strong the pull of bingo would be. Settling in as AWP Controller with Granada in Scotland, Ian was responsible for the newly acquired former Kingsway bingo clubs. He was also responsible for making a member of staff burst into tears on his very first visit to one of the newly acquired clubs. Unintentionally, but tears nevertheless. “On my first visit alone to one of the clubs (which shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) I was met by the cashier, who immediately burst into tears! “It isn’t us” she blubbed, “It’s him, I don’t know what he’s doing but it’s him”. Not physically threatening, nor particularly scary, Ian quickly realised that the cashier’s involuntary response had more to do with the incumbent club management than

In profile: Ian McIntosh

him. When Ian returned early one Sunday morning he heard the familiar sound of loose change moving and found the manager in the machines, disconnecting the meters, in order to have that day’s take for himself. “Exit one manager and I’d only been there a couple of weeks! Their estate was ageing so I took any and all castoffs from the rest of the regions, got out the soapy water and Mr Sheen for the remaining machines, trained a few members of staff on their use and went through several thousand bulbs until the estate began to look the part. All of which meant I couldn’t lose performance wise and the region flourished.” Ian’s unannounced visits to clubs in the coming months also revealed an inventive night watch team. They were not only tipping machines over the back of seating to get cash and tokens out, but were also using the extension on a hoover, sticking it through the grill on the front of the bar, and hoovering packets of cigarettes off the shelves. Ian felt that greed rather than necessity, was the mother of these particular inventions and tricks! Granada was subsequently acquired by Bass, with the bingo business then being subject to a management buy-out, that was to become Gala Bingo. As the owners of the business changed, so did Ian’s patch, which under Gala stretched from Peterhead in the north of Scotland, down to Nottingham (Gala Head Office) in the south, across to Skegness and everything in between. During this period Ian spent a large amount of time on the road, out at sites, training staff on how to use the then new machine monitoring system “Playsafe”. He was very effective at getting the system installed and staff trained up, unaware that the greater the success of “Playsafe”, the less need there was for his role. As he put it, “So, job done and made redundant.” The temporary exit from bingo only lasted a few years, during which time Ian honed his sales skills and sold kitchens and bathrooms. But bingo was not done with Ian, and Ian was not done with bingo. In 1995 he received a call from Chris Barr at CAC Leisure, asking if he might be interested in returning to bingo? Chris knew Ian bingoconnect.co.uk

➜ Fife Club Opening

“ The timescale was a bit of a challenge, but the sense of achievement when the club opened was overwhelming.” from when he had worked in The Rio in Kirkcaldy, for Kingsway. After going through an initial interview Ian was back in bingo with CAC Leisure, which later became Carlton Bingo, and twenty seven years later he is still with them. “Testament to the company, there are a number of colleagues who have even longer service than me and many who have been here almost as long. It may be due to the flexibility: my role is a machine controller, but at the end of the job description, under my responsibilities, is an additional line – “This list is not exhaustive”! Something that has become very clear over the years, with spells doing health and safety, IT and anything else that needs to be done, such as escorting winning customers to Vegas! It is also what has kept it interesting, well, that and the people.” Twenty-seven years is a long time with one company and covers a period when there have been a lot of changes and challenges for bingo, from the smoking ban to changes in licensing. Ian has helped Carlton Bingo work through with them all. Carlton Bingo has a diverse estate,

including listed cinemas and flat floor new builds, which includes the club at Fife Leisure Park, Dunfirmline, built in 2005. This is a project of particular interest to Ian, “I was involved from start to finish in much of the fitting out of the club, from the preparation for and installation of the machine estate, to the setting up of the ceiling speakers. Although the timescale involved was a bit of a challenge, the sense of achievement when the club opened was overwhelming. We also opened a new site at Inverness in the same year, two months later. So balancing the work of both sites was tight, but I still feel there is a bit of me in them both seventeen years on.” Throughout Ian’s twenty-seven years at Carlton he has been no stranger to the all important training and team building days, but one in Dunblane in 2016 holds a special place in his heart and was particularly effective at teaching the core skill of compliance. “We were on a residential teambuilding course for a couple of days in Dunblane. Up a little later than I should due to the previous night’s May 2022 /

In profile: Ian McIntosh

libations, I leave the hotel and can see some of my colleagues had already started their archery competition at the bottom of the hill below. There was a clear sign that said “Don’t go this way, walk via the path. “I decide to take the direct route and a few steps later I learnt the importance of compliance, as my feet go from under me, up in the air and land but with a broken ankle, which confines me to the house for the following six weeks. “There is never a good time to be confined, but this was particularly inconvenient, as it was around the time that the new bimetal £1 coin was being introduced. As with many bingo estates at that time, the challenge of getting machines ready and changing or altering mechanisms was quite a task. “Not to be beaten, I set about creating a workbench at home and set to on converting some of the 7,500 MCB coin mechanisms that needed to be sorted: many of them needed twenty or so of each denomination coin fed through in order to test them, others were not quite so onerous, but in the six weeks that followed about 4,500 were completed and tested with about aquarter of a million coins being fed through. As you might imagine the sound of coins all day is none too quiet and eventually more than a bit irritating. While my partner also worked bingo her level of understanding and nerves were well and truly tested too. Despite my best efforts to dampen the clunking of coins it almost drove Dawn berserk. But it was worth it to get the job done.” Bingo has not just provided friends, a career and memorable moments for Ian, it also introduced him to his partner, Dawn. “I met Dawn when she was working for Carlton as a cashier in Partick, Glasgow. She went on to hold a managerial position before unfortunately being made redundant when the Tivoli in Edinburgh closed, following the smoking ban. She no longer works in bingo and is now a carer in a local home; we have been together for 22 years: a full house win for me. I also have two beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons from a previous relationship.” When it comes to life beyond the sound of loose change, Ian’s main hobby these days is golf, though we / May 2022

➜ Ian McIntosh with Graham Runcie, John Cowlishaw and Gary Byrne at The Grand Canyon

“ When Carlton came looking for me it was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made and one of the best.” have seen no evidence of strangely patterned jumpers and his last grand slam achievement was in 1975. “I also used to do a bit of karaoke djing, from the late 90s until a couple of years ago. I gave it up as I was fed up being the “oldest swinger in town”. And can I just be clear that that’s to do with music, not any connection to remote car parks! “My only real hobby and source of exercise these days is golf, at which I used to be not too bad. My claim to fame was leading the Scottish schoolboys’ championship after 10 holes in about 1975 at Ladybank. I was level par after 9 and birdied the par 3 10th to go one under. Unfortunately I lost a ball at the next and fired one out of bounds at the par 5 to finish in the pack. Nowhere near that standard nowadays and obviously far too busy with work to get any practice. Still manage to lift the odd prize at the Carlton golf days though!”

For work Ian is based in Stirling, from the offices above the Carlton Bingo club and these days, thankfully he assures us, spends much less time out on the road: the days of 40,000 work miles a year are long gone and not missed. Variety and no set work routine continue to be great attractions to working in bingo, for Ian, along with the people: both colleagues and customers. Reflecting on his career to date Ian said, “I probably would never have left bingo, ever, if I hadn’t been made redundant from Gala. So when Carlton came looking for me it was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made and one of the best.” Bingo is set to remain part of Ian’s future and at 63 he can see a point at which he will cease to be a colleague and a customer, instead just opting for the latter, occasionally, as he quite likes it really!

Wordsearch

Wordsearch WIN a £25 Amazon voucher! Solve our word search puzzle by finding the 13 words hidden in the grid below. Note: The words may be written in any direction including backwards and diagonally. From dabbing on tickets to daubing on canvas, this issue you’re looking for these famous artists:

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I C N I V A D O D R A N O E L

All Bingo Connect Wordsearch competition entries must be received by 30th June 2022. Please email a clear picture or scan of your completed Bingo Connect Wordsearch to info@bingo-association.co.uk along with your full name by the closing date. Alternatively please remove your completed Wordsearch from the magazine, write your name and either your email address or telephone number clearly at the bottom of the page, and send it by post in an envelope addressed to: WORDSEARCH, The Bingo Association, Lexham House, 75 High Street North, Dunstable, Beds LU6 1JF by the closing date. Terms and Conditions: All entrants must be aged 18 or over. The Prize is a single Amazon Gift Voucher to the value of £25.00 and no alternative prize is available. All entries, whether sent by email or post, must be received no later than 30th November 2021. Proof of postage or transmission is not proof of receipt. All correct Bingo Connect Wordsearch entries will be entered into a draw and a single Winner drawn at random by The Bingo Association Limited. The Winner will be notified, either by email or telephone, and the Prize sent within 30 days of the closing date and the Winner’s name published in the following issue of Bingo Connect. The competition is organised by The Bingo Association Limited and their decision is final in all matters relating to this. bingoconnect.co.uk

May 2022 /

In profile: Stacey Mollart

From bakery to bingo We meet Stacey Mollart, General Manager at Buzz Bingo Castleford

ingo players and communities are one of the best advertisements for club bingo and for many players the route through which they discovered the game. It seems as though staff may have a similar pulling power and this is certainly the case for Stacey Mollart, who credits her grandma with giving her the ‘bingo bug’. Stacey was born and went to school in Horbury, near Wakefield, where she still lives, with partner Shannon and seven year old daughter Evie, surrounded by her extended family. One of Stacey’s more vivid memories from her childhood is that of taking her grandma to bingo, “From as early as the age Evie is now, I can remember dropping off and picking up my grandma from bingo, which I still occasionally do!” Stacey said. While still at college Stacey got her first job, part-time, at a local bakery, which she realised was not something she wanted to do full-time. While she enjoyed serving customers she felt she wanted something more. Stacey’s grandma is not just a regular bingo player, she also worked at bingo at that time and suggested that Stacey think about applying for a job, which she did. Initially part-time and then full-time. “My grandma worked in Bingo for forty years: twenty years for Riva and twenty years for Gala, now Buzz. I first worked part-time at the Wakefield club, while still at college, working on the bar and club floor. Once I had finished college I took up a full-time role, just as my grandma was retiring, from working at bingo that is. She still plays three times a week! “When I started it was just a job, but within a year I was hooked. I loved coming to work every day and being part of the club community, which is as much about staff as it is customers. It’s my bingo family. I think it’s fair to say that my grandma gave me the bingo bug, as we both love people and being part of it, but I only play bingo occasionally. I think that’s due more to lack of time. Between working at the club and Evie and family, right now I have so little spare time.” Having fallen in love with Bingo at the Wakefield club, Stacey realised quickly that there were no shortage of opportunities to progress at the Wakefield club and found herself becoming a Team Leader and then Operations Manager, discovering that there were also roles and opportunities within the wider business and bingo. / May 2022

“I started in bingo in Wakefield, but left the club in 2010 to take up the role of Operations Manager at the Tong Street club in Bradford for a few months, before then going on secondment in 2011 as an Operational Support Implementation Manager. This saw me travelling up and down the country training and supporting teams with the latest Touchpads at the time. I really enjoyed the experience but missed the club life and a ‘bingo family’. “I was asked to support Andrew Whitworth in the then recently purchased Bradford City Club and went in as an Operations Manager. I don’t think I was meant to stay as I was only supporting Andrew in the club, but we worked really well together at the club and I ended up staying for 6 years! “The Bradford City Club was the biggest club I had ever worked in and I was still there when Gala rebranded to become Buzz and what a buzz it was. The atmosphere was electric on our first day as Buzz Bingo! It was challenging but exciting and I’ll never forget it.” Having jumped into a career in bingo, Stacey found something that not only did she love doing but also that

In profile: Stacey Mollart

she was successful at and which offered new challenges and scope for progression. “After Bradford in 2018 I moved to the Wakefield club as Deputy Manager, back to where I’d first started in bingo! I wasn’t there long before I moved to the Castleford club as Temporarily In Charge (TIC) General Manager (GM). It’s only thirty minutes drive from Horbury, so an easy commute. “Having moved to the Park Road club in 2019 as TIC GM, Castleford then became my first club as General Manager. In my first year of being GM I faced more challenges than I could have possibly imagined, but ended up loving my job and bingo even more as a result of it all. “Like everyone else we faced Covid and went through not one but two lockdowns. It was hard on everyone. Like so many clubs we had quite a lot of customers for who bingo is their main social activity, and they rely on it for company and community. The club team helped work a telephone rota, checking in on customers and seeing if they needed anything: we did quite a few shopping trips in the first lockdown. We also used our club Facebook account to post staff video messages and quiz questions, which encouraged customers to respond to, which helped keep everyone’s spirits up. As a club team we made use of Zoom, to make sure we were all keeping up with each other and planning how we could support our customers. It was hard, but it brought people together, making a stronger community, even though we could not meet in person, or open the club for customers.” Re-opening and building customer understanding of and confidence in safety was a sector challenge, as every club was navigating something completely new. Like many clubs Stacey and team wanted to show customers what had been put in place to help manage risk and videos become key to achieving this. Thankfully Club Operations Manager Sara Fulcher is a dab-hand with her trusty mobile phone, as Stacey, by her own admission, is a bit pants when it comes to working a video camera on a mobile! National lockdowns proved a trying time for everyone, particularly more vulnerable people, and even though

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“ There is no such thing as a dull day at bingo, whichever side of the book sales desk you are on.” bingo clubs were not able to open and bring people together, bingo communities across the UK found a way to connect, support and help: not only emotionally but also physically. The post lockdown ‘bingo family’ at Castleford was also key to the next challenge Stacey and team were to face, club closure and relocation. “Unfortunately, the Park Road club closed its doors forever on 2nd October 2021. Over six hundred people came to see us for a final session and say goodbye to the end of an era, twentyfive years after the doors first opened. “Castleford was not losing bingo though, as a new club had been created. However, we were asking customers to transfer from a large destination venue, with lots of car parking, to a much smaller high street venue. “Myself and the team worked tremendously hard with support from our Regional Director Clive Newton and Regional Manager Paul Farrelly, to transfer our destination customers to a high street club. It was a tough sell, but we did it and with fantastic results that saw 80% of customers from Park Road join us at Albion Street. “The hard work was key to the success, but not just the work that went into the information and follow-up immediately prior to the move, but the work that had taken place across the previous eighteen months that had built such strong relationships between customers, between staff and customers and between staff.” Now settled in Albion Street, Stacey is happy with the short commute to work, which also allows her to make the most of time away from bingo, when she loves to go hiking with Shannon and Evie. An avid reader and eater, she assures us that the love of hiking is not driven by the love of eating: being based in Yorkshire, surrounded by so much beautiful countryside, is therefore an added bonus. The new ‘bingo family’ of staff and customers at the Castleford club remind Stacey of why she loves working in bingo so much: having had the opportunity to try a number of roles in bingo, which in 2010 saw her take a trip to London to have her voice recorded for auto caller, she knows that being in-club is what excites her the most. “I think if you like people, then bingo might just be for you, either as something to do, or somewhere to work, or even both. It gives you something different every day: there is no such thing as a dull day at bingo, whichever side of the book sales desk you are on!”

May 2022 /