Pensioner, 76, banned from every Mecca bingo hall

I apologize if this was already mentioned on the forum before.

This has happened a few years ago, but I accidentally stumbled across an articles about Rosalyn Clemson who was banned from every Mecca bingo hall in the UK because she arranged trip to rival venue.

She has visited the same Mecca bingo hall every week with her friends for more than half a century. But when Mrs Clemson, 76, decided she wanted a change of scenery and organised a group trip to a rival hall the bingo chain didn't take it in good spirit.

Mecca said she had broken membership rules and, despite playing at the same hall for more than 50 years, Mrs Clemson and her husband were no longer welcome there or in any of the 100 bingo halls they operate across the UK.

She said her only crime was to ask fellow players if they wanted to visit another hall 15 miles away for a change. She said: 'All I did was organise a little trip to Runcorn for a change of scene for me and a few friends. The way the Mecca reacted you would think I was some kind spy or traitor to the cause. It's like they want to own us body and soul because we are members of the Mecca Bingo."

They said her offence was to have 'approached members at Mecca Chester offering coach trips to opposition bingo clubs'.

Their actions are a bit to harsh, don't you think? 

I honestly dont know if its too harsh, maybe just a bit and maybe not at all. I suppose the worst thing you can do to someone's business is to make its customers go to competitors place.

If she got that bored after half a century going to same place, she could go alone elsewhere and that would be perfectly ok, this way it isnt really ok :)

She could have gone about all this in a more discreet way I guess. But still, banning a 76-year old lady doesn't sound too elegant.

Well I think enforcing club rules, as they call them, should be done on a case by case basis. This woman obviously meant no harm and has been a loyal member all these years. One slip because she wants to take a trip somewhere to play the game she loves and she's banned? I totally get that stealing customers is not a good thing to do but is really possible that all the players would ditch the Mecca Bingo club forever and drive 15 miles to a competitor, probably not. Not to mention that stealing away their customers was not her objective. There  is life beyond belonging to a bingo club.

I think that is way too harsh. I mean the woman is 76 years old and gave them how much money over the years? She wants to try a new place after 50 years and she is banned. It's terrible.