A major bingo hall in Teesside has completed a £1.6 million makeover, introducing a new social bingo lounge and upgraded facilities.
Mecca Bingo invested the money in its Stockton venue - the company's largest club.
The renovation includes the creation of the new 1825 Lounge, named after Stockton's role in the birth of the modern railway, as well as interactive darts and a refreshed main hall.
The new venue within the main hall features a bar, Sky Sports screens and a dual darts podium, adding 168 seats to the club and taking its total capacity to more than 1,500.
The lounge has been designed to offer a more social bingo experience, allowing customers to chat with friends while they play.
Players will also be able to use electronic tablets with an auto-dab function, or opt for traditional paper bingo tickets instead.
As part of the refurbishment, Mecca has also upgraded its slots area, which now houses 115 gaming machines featuring a range of popular games.
Mecca Bingo in Stockton.
(Image: Mecca Bingo)
The club's main hall has also been given a refresh, including new carpets, reupholstered seating and more digital screens.
Sarah O'Neill, central operations director at Mecca Bingo, said Stockton was a natural choice for the investment.
She said: "We've been making winners in Stockton for thirty years.
"As our biggest venue, with such a vibrant community around it, it made complete sense to embrace the rising popularity of competitive socialising and invest in the club to ensure that Mecca Stockton is fit for the future."
Stockton is also the company's luckiest venue, with players winning more than £4.8 million in bingo prize money over the past year alone.
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An official relaunch weekend is planned from Friday, September 4, featuring prize draws, live music, cocktails and themed entertainment.
A bingo session on the Sunday evening (September 6) will include more than £30,000 in prizes, along with the chance to win £250,000 in the National Bingo Game.
General manager Lynne Butterworth said: "The creation of the lounge provides a brand-new entertainment space for Stockton, with interactive darts, TV screens, a DJ booth, food and drink, as well as bingo.
"We can't wait to welcome new and existing customers through the door over the official relaunch weekend."
The latest investment builds on a major refurbishment of the venue's exterior, which was completed in 2023.