This Halloween, Mecca Bingo is taking “full house” to a whole new realm. In a world-first, the UK’s oldest bingo club, which is situated in Rosehill, London, is calling on its resident spectre – ‘Fred’ – and his spirit pals, to host the world’s first phantom-led bingo session, BinGhost.
To create the supernatural twist on the classic game, Mecca is partnering with renowned ghost hunters, Hazel and Dean Williams from Spectrum Paranormal, and inviting players to allow their bingo dabbers to be guided by the club’s famous paranormal energy, as Fred selects the numbers on Tuesday 28th October.
The unique event follows new research* from Mecca Bingo revealing that over half (54%) of Brits believe in the supernatural – rising to seven in ten (70%) among under-35s – and two in five (39%) are seeking more immersive and unconventional ways to celebrate Halloween. With paranormal interest sweeping the nation, Mecca is bringing the trend home and using Rosehill’s famous haunted history to create a never-before-seen bingo experience that’s guaranteed to get pulses racing.
Using a range of specialist equipment – from electromagnetic sensors to spirit boxes and temperature monitors – Hazel and Dean will translate the club’s supernatural activity into real-time bingo calls.
First opened in 1937 as a Gaumont cinema, the Grade II-listed Mecca Rosehill building is renowned for its paranormal phenomena – and is featured in the book London Lore**. Staff and regulars alike have been reporting strange happenings since the 1970’s: beer taps which turn themselves on and off, a child’s laughter, footsteps echoing through empty rooms, shadowy figures, and even the faint sound of an organ that was removed decades ago.
Earlier this month, Mecca invited Spectrum Paranormal to investigate the club and the results were far from ordinary. From disembodied whistling and responsive knocking to unusual electromagnetic activity around table 666, the team uncovered several findings that indicate that Fred and his friends continue to call Mecca Rosehill home.
Dean Williams, Spectrum Paranormal, said: “Mecca Rosehill has fascinated us for years, and during our investigation we witnessed a series of remarkable phenomena.
“With so much unusual activity observed, Mecca Rosehill is a site of genuine paranormal interest and we can’t wait to channel it into a-first-of-its-kind bingo game.”
The research also confirms that the UK’s curiosity with the other side is deepening, with more than half (54%) of under-35s saying their interest in the supernatural has grown over the past three years. With 65% of this age group looking for more immersive ways to celebrate Halloween and half (50%) admitting they’d love to play bingo hosted by a ghost – tickets to Fred’s first shift are expected to vanish fast.
Sarah O’Neill, director of innovation at Mecca Bingo, added: “At Mecca, we love tapping into trends and reimagining bingo in new and unexpected ways. With interest in the supernatural booming across the UK, this Halloween is the perfect time for us to work with Spectrum Paranormal to tap into the spirits at Mecca Rosehill with BinGhost. Players can expect a classic game with a supernatural twist, in the UK’s original bingo hall…
“Bingo has always been about fun, connection and community, and this event brings all of that together in a uniquely Mecca way. ”
