MECCA Bingo has thanked its Bridgwater customers following the closure of its bingo hall after nearly 50 years in the town.
The Penel Orlieu site closed on Sunday, August 14.
In its final week, the venue held ‘The Final Countdown’, a series of themed nights that offered £100 and £200 cash prizes.
Mecca Bingo's last night in Bridgwater was marked with a party, with guests encouraged to attend in dinner jackets and cocktail dresses.
They received free glasses of bubbly and snacks and there was a free-to-enter raffle.
There were also five guaranteed £1,000 full houses, bringing plenty of people to the bingo hall for its last-ever games.
A Mecca Bingo spokesperson said: “On behalf of everyone at Mecca in Bridgwater, we are very sad to confirm that we are now closed.
“Mecca Bridgwater has been a part of the local community for 48 years, and we want to say a huge thank you to every single one of our incredible customers for their loyalty and support – we will miss you very much.
“We will keep our Facebook page open for a bit longer, so people can still connect and chat, and who knows, we will probably see you around town – thank you again for all the good times and memories you have given us.”
Mecca Bingo customers expressed their sadness at the store's closure on Facebook.
One said: “Thank you for everything. Shame everyone that came this week hadn't come before, you might have stayed open.
“It was a great night last night and one to remember. Good luck to you all.”
Another wrote: “Such a shame it's closing, but well done all for last night with the volume of people and hiccups you had. We had a great night.”
One woman, who attended its “eventful” last night, added: “Good luck to all the staff on their new ventures.
“So sad its closing, its a social lifeline for many and will sadly be missed. If only it was as busy as last night more often, it may not have had to go.”
Mecca Bingo's Bridgwater venue was one of several that closed permanently on August 14, including Gloucester, Sittingbourne, Halifax and Devonport.
Read more: Closure date confirmed for Mecca Bingo in Bridgwater
Read more: Community hero award for café worker's pandemic efforts
The chief executive of the Rank Group, which owns Mecca Bingo, said the company is braced for a “tougher autumn” as rising household bills threaten to hit spending.
John O'Reilly told the PA News Agency that recent trading has been “resilient” but the company is aware of pressures on consumer finances.
He said: “So far, we are pleased with where demand levels are.
“A lot of people we meet in bingo venues have only come back recently following Covid so there is still a lot of positivity there among customers.
“But we know we might see a tougher autumn as energy price rises come through.”
Rank made a pre-tax profit of £74.3 million in the year to June 30, bouncing back from a £107.3 million loss in the previous year.
Net gaming revenues doubled to nearly £644 million for the year, compared with £325.3 million in the previous year.
He added: “Whilst we have been seeing improvements in London in recent weeks, the trading environment across the UK is likely to remain difficult in the months ahead, with inflationary pressures squeezing consumer discretionary expenditure and cost increases, particularly in energy prices, putting pressure on profit margins.
“However, we are taking actions to drive further efficiencies in the venues businesses, and we are seeing strong revenue growth in properties which have recently benefited from our accelerated capital investment programme.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here