I’ve been on some weird and wonderful assignments with City Dweller over the years, but when they asked me to keep an open mind about my next experience, I was intrigued. It soon transpired that I was heading down to Mecca Leeds Mayfair for an evening of food, drink and of course, Bingo!
On arrival, we were greeted by friendly staff who quickly signed us up for free membership, and given the lowdown on what to expect. Having only ever been once almost a decade ago, it was more or less all new to me, but what at first seemed quite complicated, was actually pretty straightforward (with a few hiccups here and there!).
The first thing I noticed was the mixed crowd. I had expected a sea of purple rinse in the main room, but there was no such thing and several younger groups and even some couples. Heading to the bar before the games begun, we ordered some food and drink to kick things off.
Apart from a selection of summer salads, the menu is awash with comfort food and guilty pleasures, and was far more extensive than I had imagined. For starters we opted for Chilli Poppers, which consists of sweet red jalapenos stuffed with kicking Hot Diggidy Dog chipotle cheese and a sauce of your choice – we chose the spicy firecracker.
We also chose the Classic Tortillas which came loaded with mozzarella, cheddar, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos. They were both really tasty and we polished off the lot, despite the fact we had our mains to get through, as well as a few more beers.
I went for the Southern Fried Chicken and my companion went for the old classic, Scampi in a Basket – both came with chips and a side salad. Now it was no surprise to see these two dishes on the menu as they are synonymous with Bingo, but I was surprised at how good they were, considering the low price they were delicious!
This kind of pub grub would usually be double the price in a Leeds boozer, so you really do get your money’s worth – just leave your diet at the door if you’re slimming down for your summer beach bod.
With the food demolished, the first game kicked off and I got off to an awful start! Not realising that I was supposed to be dabbing off all the numbers on the page (I was restricting myself to the top column like a complete douche) I completely flunked the first game and had a member of staff show me where I was going wrong – what a muppet.
So how did I fare at the game in the end? Well I was pretty damn rubbish, it must be said. I spent the first few games finding my feet, hoping I’d be a pro by the time the national rounds with the big money came round. Prize money is surprisingly huge and you’ve got far more chance of winning here than you have the National Lottery.
Just a few weeks ago, a customer visiting Mayfair walked away with a whopping £250k cheque – sadly, it was not my night and I didn’t win a cent on the bingo itself. My luck changed at the slot machines however.
As a new member, you only need to spend a fiver on the slots and Mecca will match it. Lady Luck was looking over my shoulder as I played the Thai Flower machine and I strutted out £35 richer, which paid for my night out – who’s laughing now?!
If you’re looking for an evening full of good food, drinks and entertainment all without breaking the bank and a chance to win megabucks, then ditch the lottery and get down to your local Mecca. The staff couldn’t be more welcoming and will gladly show you the ropes.
Details:
Address: 50 New York Street, Leeds, LS2 7DY
Telephone: 0113 234 1773
Web: www.meccabingo.com
Facebook: Mecca Leeds Mayfair
Twitter: @MeccaLeedsMay
Open: Mon – Fri 10am – 10.30pm – Sat 10am – 10.30pm – Sunday noon – 10.30pm
Mecca Leeds Mayfair easily accessiable by bus and train.
Car parking is also available near by.
