Bingo has 'Huge Social Value'

James Duddridge, conservative Member of Parliament for Rochford & Southend East, has said that bingo has "huge social value". The comment was made after the politician visited a local Mecca Bingo hall and was given a tour of the facilities by representatives of Mecca and their parent organisation Rank Group.

The Mecca Bingo hall in Greyhound Way can accommodate up to 1,000 players. It wasn't quite that busy on the day that James visited, but there were around 700 players present for the afternoon session, and the MP proved he was "game" by agreeing to call the first line of numbers.

Although James got involved by calling numbers, he was visiting the bingo hall so that he could find out more about the game and the problems that it faces, not only in his own constituency, but across the nation. A local postcard campaign had already made him aware of issues such as "double taxation", where the bingo industry is forced to pay both VAT and tax on gross profits, but the visit made the situation even clearer for James.

"The representatives from Mecca Bingo made it clear to me that they and others in the bingo industry perceive the tax problem as a threat to their business," James said. "Double taxation could lead to bingo hall closures as well as job losses. The constant tinkering with the taxation system hasn't helped either, making it increasingly complicated and therefore discouraging investment."

The visit also made James aware of the important role that bingo plays in the social lives of communities. "The huge social value of the bingo hall in Greyhound Way was obvious to me as soon as I walked in the door," James said. "It plays a large part in the lives of thousands of local people, both as a place for a leisure activity and as somewhere to come and socialise. The lessons I've learned today will stay with me for a long time to come."

We applaud James for taking the time to find out more about bingo and the problems it faces. If the opposition can care so much about the bingo industry then why can't the government!?

22nd January 2008