Bingo hall bosses 'delighted' as they count their winnings in Blackpool

Rank Group said its venues have performed beyond expectations since reopening in May after pandemic closures dragged the company to a steep loss.

They told investors further growth is anticipated as “travel restrictions eventually ease and tourism returns”.

Rank, which owns the Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino brands, hailed “encouraging progress”, with boss John O’Reilly saying he is “delighted” after an “exceptionally challenging” period.

He said: “Recently we’ve done really well in places like Blackpool and Bournemouth because people are looking for that entertainment thrill in the UK this year.”

Sales across Grosvenor venues for the 13 weeks to August 15 were 19 per cent below levels from the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. Meanwhile, Mecca reported sales for the period which were 21 per cent down against the same period.