Property & Development Magazine Issue 427 | Page 36

Retail & Leisure: Mecca Bingo

THE FUTURE
IS DIGITAL
O
ne of the most iconic brands in the UK,

group's estates, enabling the provision of better

Mecca Bingo is a UK-based social and

prizes and better facilities across the Mecca portfo-

bingo leisure company, with sites dot-

lio. One such investment into the company has been

ted around the entirety of the UK and

the recent completion of a significant estate-wide

present in many of the UK's major cities and tourist

EPOS upgrade which, specifically has seen the instal-

destinations. The company is owned by the Rank

lation of 88 PC-based touchscreen terminals at 17

Group, alongside Grosvenor Casinos, which is estab-

clubs . The terminals, manufactured by MCR partner

lished as the UK's largest casino operator and, for

J2 Retail Systems also come alongside the deploy-

Mecca, this results in a considerable amount of sup-

ment of the latest versions of MCR's Symphony

port behind the name and in ensuring the highest

Enterprise and Stock Manager solutions, dragging

quality experience for customers.

Mecca venues into the digital age.

Well loved for over 70 years, Mecca is increasingly

David MacIntyre, F&B EpoS Manager at Mecca

making waves in showing its care for customers, ensuring

Bingo commented: “Our move to J2 hardware was

that all things remain safe, secure and fun for all. As the

prompted by a number of factors. The J2s give us

company explains: “We want to make sure that you know

more capability and flexibility when it comes to menu

you can trust us, just like you have for well over half a cen-

design. We felt too that we needed to move to an

tury. We’re one of the biggest names in bingo and part of

emerging and innovative IT platform. More and more

the high street because we offer you promises we never

of our customer solutions involve IT so it makes sense

break.” Of the promises made to the customer, the provi-

to future-proof the business by putting in advanced

sion of a friendly environment, the added-value provided

units with greater compatibility.

for loyalty and the essential adaptation to customer feed-

“We’re aiming to achieve a single hardware solu-

back are of the utmost import and play key roles in the

tion across our business... Whilst we still have older

provision of the company's modern-day service.

Uniwell units in the majority of clubs, I can see the

Integral to the future of the company has proven to

potential of the J2s. I’m very excited about a future

be the expansion of digital sales, highlighting an area

when all our clubs have J2s with a standard customer

within which the company can develop its well-estab-

interface. I can see huge potential.” n

lished customer base in a casual, relaxed, on-the-go or
at home manner. Last year, the Rank Group reported a
23% increase in first half pre-tax profit up to £34.9m,
attributing much of the growth to the rising popularity
of online gambling. Henry Birch, Chief Executive of the
Rank Group commented that the group had
achieved a strong set of results, and that the
signed agreement with gambling software
provider, Bede Gambling could provide a
good foundation for the future.
Of the profits, the group has also
nodded at the potential for further
inward investment back into the

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www.meccabingo.com