Britain’s biggest bingo operator Mecca Bingo is to be rebranded “Bethlehem Number Snap” following pressure from right wing political groups a spokesman for Mecca’s parent company The Rank Group, told The Rochdale Herald’s weekly gambling supplement, Tuesday.
The spokesman confirmed that the company had been on the receiving end of increasing criticism from a number of far right groups both for continuing to have its Bingo franchise named after a “Muslamic” shrine and for continuing to use the Italian name “bingo” when the UK has triggered article ” It’s a bulls-eye!” and is on its way back to being Kelly’s Eye, instead of just one of the “Two and eight, in a state” EU members.
Naming the critics as including UKIP, Britain First, the English Defence League and the lesser know Kniggots Hospitaller of the Holy Grail, the spokesman pointed out that curiously no Islamic groups had objected despite Islam proscribing all forms of gambling.
“It’s not that we actually give a toss what the kniggots and bigots think of our using the name Mecca, but most of our customers are so thick they believe anything these idiots tell them,” he said pointing out that the company had been using the name Mecca since the 1930s when the bingo halls were all either dance halls or cinemas.
“Half the cinemas and dance halls in the country were designed with either an Egyptian, or “mystic eastern” theme. Until about three years ago no one had ever complained,” he said explaining that the new name of “Bethlehem Number Snap” had been chosen from a short list of one generated by focus group of right wing bigots.
“Frankly we couldn’t give a toss what it’s called as long as it get the fat old bums on seats and generates the cash,” he yawned.
Speaking to the Herald a spokesman for the Kniggots Hospitaler hailed the name change as a historic victory on a par with the retaking of Jerusalem by the first crusade.
“This is exactly what our ancestors fought the crusades for and the reason our organisation has been in existence for over a thousand years, or at least since we bought the outfits and the unfeasibly large wooden crosses on line last year,” he explained.
