welcome
Mark’s view...
latest news
Boost Bingo
E
The start of a new year is always a time
for resolutions and I’m sure you will
agree with me that a fresh focus on
boosting our business is top of the list.
It’s been particularly tough recently,
so we’ve been finding out what
Mecca customers really want and
what they think of us. What we are
hearing from them is that they don’t
feel they are getting good value,
especially as times are tight. On the
plus side, they also say they love us!
So we need to make sure that
we up our game to build on that
loyalty in the year ahead and
deliver great value, both in prize
money and in the experience of
playing bingo with Mecca.
There are encouraging signs
that things are getting back on
track, thanks partly to initiatives
such as Welcome Home, and
some exciting developments in
the pipeline across the retail and
digital business should also help.
You’ve all been working hard, too.
You’ve also been reaching out to
the local community – response to
the Christmas Gifts campaign was
fantastic – and there are plenty of
other good things going on, as you
will read in this issue of Wow!
Those of us ‘behind the scenes’ are
doing all we can, and I know I can count
on you in the clubs to help to drive
Mecca forward to a brighter future.
A very Happy New Year to you all!
MARK JONES
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Follow me
on Twitter:
@MeccaBingoMD
2 WOW! Issue 34 • January 2014
very Mecca team member,
customer and all friends of
bingo are being urged to
keep up the momentum in
the campaign to Boost Bingo.
Miles Baron, chairman of the Bingo
Association and former Mecca sales
and marketing director, says it is really
important to the future of bingo in
Britain to keep those petition signatures
coming and make it a million!
“This is our really big chance, a great
opportunity for the bingo industry to
be treated fairly and equally with other
leisure and gaming operators and enable
us to invest in premises, people and
products. We’re not holding out a begging
bowl, we’re not asking for a handout
– just fairer conditions for growth.”
Boost Bingo launched earlier this
month (January) and by now all clubs
will have lots of promotional material
Camden team’s hard
work is recognised
T
eam members at Mecca
Camden put so much into
delighting customers that it
was decided they should be
recognised for their efforts.
At the club’s first ever awards
ceremony, some of the top performers
were presented with special trophies
in honour of all their hard work
during the year.
“The whole team does a
brilliant job looking after our
customers and delighting them at
every opportunity,” said general
manager Jack Terry. “2013 was
a challenging year for us and we
wanted to recognise some key
performances and all our nominees
and award winners are at the top
of their game.”
Ca mden wonders – (l-r,
standing) Sushi Gokulsing,
general manager Jack
Terry, Dinesh Pandithurai,
membership manager Eva
Rutland, F iona Milne,
(kneeling) operations manager
Kevin Kothandara man and
Ash Lochunah.
And the winners are...
Leader of the Year – Dinesh Pandithurai, amusements team leader, for making
a phenomenal start to his career with Mecca.
Customer Champion – Sushi Gokulsing, team member, for always putting the
customer first and receiving the most positive feedback.
Achiever of the Year – Ash Lochunah, for being appointed team leader, winning
his gold Wow! badge and turning in great results from his department.
Star of the Year – Fiona Milne, caller, who won the biggest award of the night
for being an amazing member of the team who delights customers and team
members alike, always willing to put others ahead of herself and never leaves
her smile at home.
keep pushing for those
magic million signatures
to publicise the campaign along with
plenty of petition sheets. Some will
also have been visited by their local
MP to show support for the call on the
government to reduce the gross profit
tax (GPT) on bingo from 20 per cent
to 15 per cent in this spring’s Budget.
The combined impact of the tax
and being unable to reclaim VAT on
investment and refurbishment means
that bingo is paying the equivalent of a
staggering 32 per cent VAT, stifling the
industry. This decline could be reversed.
“I would ask all Mecca team members
to make sure their customers fill in
the petition, which will be delivered to
Downing Street,” said Miles. “Thank
you to all who have already got
involved but we need to keep it up
– we need those one million signatures
from those who feel strongly about
our national heritage and game.”
Top manager Bryan says
it’s all down to teamwork
M
ecca may be the only
Many customers travel some
bingo game in town
distance to visit, although they could
in Wrexham, but for
easily go elsewhere. The club has built
general manager Bryan
its reputation around a superb prize
Tyrrell and his team that is no reason
board, great value sessions and the
to rest on their laurels.
welcoming environment created by the
Bryan was voted General Manager
team. It has a growing 18–34-year-old
of the Year after Mecca Wrexham
customer base and the club makes
put in one of the top performances in
every effort to Wow! both existing and
2012/13, showing admissions and profit
new customers.
growth and coming second in the Key
“I am proud to be part of a com [