team member

assistant manager

team leader

cleaner

caller

Mecca Bingo

A typical day is simple enough.
Workers arrive and take their stations and set up before customers arrive, which sounds fair enough.

If however you are to be given a new station, expect little-to no training, being chastised if you ask for further explanation of the new job you had been given (jobs usually involving handling large amounts of money and complicated paperwork) and receiving discipline if mistakes are made, in spite of being left on ones own.

Colleagues that DO attempt to help when noticing one is stuck are often chastised for not sticking to their own job, whilst those responsible for training take numerous smoke breaks.

To learn a new position with less hassle, one must stay out of hours of their own accord and hope another colleague is willing to stay with them to teach properly. 
This too often was often met with discipline as it meant we where due overtime pay.

Having said that, the majority of the floor staff are very friendly and do what they can to lend a hand whilst avoiding trouble. They make very loyal friends who want you to succeed and will try to help to the best of their ability provided you pull your weight.

The Management however are another story.
Whilst Mecca has had some amazing managers in my time there, who are fair, structured but strict, the current management is led by a ruthless bully.
Sharp and cold to the customers, and nasty and vindictive to the staff, one staff member was told to resign or be sacked following a recent bereavement where they where asked sharp questions about their loss and disciplined driven to tears.
Said manager has also singled out other colleagues due to their weight, punished parents who require time with their children and more than once has had workers in tears with horrible comments and threats.

There are perks to the job. Some of the customers are an absolute joy to work for, and as said previously, the floor staff is made up of some of the most amazing people I have met.
But with the unsociable hours, minimum wage and utter venom the staff have to deal with, it's not worth it.



I enjoyed the work  it was very active and most shifts flew in because you were kept so busy. The customers were lovely and the job was very active which to me is always a good thing. You always got your correct breaks which is rare these days however if your face doesn't fit with the staff you soon know about it. Most of the people who work there have been there for years and the ones who haven't are most likely to be related to someone who has. I personally felt that I was being judged on my personality not my work. The kitchen staff are by far the worst people I`ve ever worked with I used to dread going to work on a Sunday night as I was always on with the same group of people who made my shift very difficult. One night one of the kitchen staff told me I needed to speed up she was about ten years younger than me and I found this so disrespectful as I did triple the amount of work she did. I ended up complaining to the manager about her as she was speaking down to me because I was new and she thought I would take it.. This particular member of staff was related to management so of course the general manager wasn't interested in my side. We both got called up to the office and he took this opportunity to speak down to me and belittle me. He said that he employed me because he thought I was outgoing  and made it clear he regretted his decision to take me on. I was ganged up on and bullied and shown no support whatsoever. I was  new so my side of things wasn't considered. He made it clear he didn't like my personality and that I was a disappointment to him when all I had done was my job much better than most of the staff  in my opinion. I also got roped into training to work in the kitchen which was not what I applied for. The kitchen staff are the worst they are a clique and I`ve never been made to feel so unwelcome in any work place as I did in Mecca. If you are going to work here be prepared to be judged harshly if they don't like you they will make it crystal clear.

I worked at Mecca for nearly 12 years, I'd previously worked in other independent bingo clubs and didn't need training... In 2002 when I started, it was a great company to work for, initiative based bonuses and a choice of double pay with a day in lieu or triple pay when working bank holidays, there was an adequate number of staff, you had a decent chance of promotion.  The hour's you worked were longer & the time between split shifts were less....By the time I left, no bonuses, normal pay for bank holidays, staff shortages and longer times between split shifts (you weren't played between shifts) The management were basically 'one size fits all' that had to adhere to head office policies across the Mecca clubs, the man management skills of the management varied from individual to individual, some were great & understanding if you had children etc, one manager gave me as much time off as I wanted for my young sons hospitalization and again when my mother passed away, and another 
 'manager' tried refusing me paternity leave (until I pointed out she couldn't by law) generally the staff were hardworking and great to get along with (there were however some 'cliques') the staff were either long serving, and the other half came & went quickly.... If you do decide to work in bingo, expect long hours and hard work, you'll also need a thick skin (some customers are quite 'difficult') be prepared for a certain level of forced fun, if you're young, outgoing and prepared to Don 'fancy dress' several times a year, great!... I was dressed as anything from a garden gnome , priest, schoolboy to count Dracula!! (I was a middle aged man with 4 children) so it did get a little annoying and embarrassing!!).... By the time I'd had enough I hadn't had a pay rise in 3 years and the general staff wages were nearly the same as mine (there's went up annually due to minimum wage)....You'll either love working in bingo or hate it...I loved it when I started, by the time I left I hated it...There are certain aspects I miss & still have friends still working there, if your manager & team leaders are decent people you'll be fine.

Mecca is not a place for people who wish to continue their "normal" life. There is absolutely no balance between work and home life. Management promote this life style also. Work is a flexible rota and you may be working 7 days+ in a row. There is not an actual training scheme put in place, you learn on the job and if you are there years later, you will most likely still be learning. As for hourly rate, it is above average, but there are no bonuses. Communication amongst management to staff is minimal and they are very unapproachable. Please be prepared to forget about your children if you get a job here, because the business needs are far greater than your families. As a team member/cleaner, you will be expected to work days similar to 8:30am -10:45 11:15-4:00pm 5pm -11pm + (this is just an example of one day that got rotad to me in the past) also if you are comfortable with working all day till midnight then starting early in the morning for another full day, this company will be suited to you, as the law of having 11 hours between daily shifts, they certainly do not adhere to. 
Working there you are likely to witness a massive staff turnover regularly, staff come and go all the time. The rate of people going on sick due to stress is extremely high and those with mental related illnesses such as depression is also. 
Mecca does not recognise a trade union.
The four weekly in advance rotas are generally always just two weeks in advance. Management dont seem to have any continuity in regards to the way they talk and treat all members of staff, they like to operate on a "if your face fits" policy, and rules for one person may be very different to those for another. 
The general role working here is a good one, its easy, but sadly the business as a company and the management, its horrendous and for that reason i would not recommended it to anyone. Unless you enjoy being brought down, run into the ground and not supported.

I only worked at mecca bingo for two months before I handed in an immediate notice after reaching a breaking point. During a busy shift, I felt absolutely belittled and patronised by a team member and the club manager. On my break, I finally broke down crying and refused to finish my shift and walked out. Upon my return the next day to hand in my letter of resignation, my manager originally tried to suspend me for my actions and launch an investigation. All because I felt I was treated beyond harshly by members of staff and couldn't cope anymore and thus walked out.

Throughout the entire three months I never felt like apart of a team. My manager consistently patronised me over minor mistakes and would refuse to listen to anything I had to say. During my first probation review, my feedback was entirely negative despite customers and several team members praising me for the work I had done. One of the comments was that I spoke to customers and staff members inappropriately and that I had to learn to understand how to communicate more effectively. I've worked in retail for 4+ years and I am fully aware what excellent customer service is. When I challenged this statement, my team leader and both my managers refused to acknowledge it. Furthermore, when I decided to sit down and discuss my review with my manager, he was defensive throughout the entire conversation and would not allow me to get a word in.

The overall atmosphere of working in this club is absolutely abysmal. The younger generation of workers are treated horrifically and are constantly felt alienated as the older generation of staff would always gossip about anything and everything to do with them. They're always criticised by higher members of staff despite putting in the same if not more effort than the older generation. I would strongly advise younger people to avoid this job at all costs.

I could start work at any rotad time, this could be 8 in the morning leading anytime up until midnight and sometimes later, My job was all about giving great customer service and setting examples. As a team leader it was down to me to make sure my department was run correctly and that the best possible customer service was given.

I learned a lot whilst working there for over 6 years, i respect all staff that do any hard work and as part of the management team i was the only one who used to go round and individually thank the staff if it was a busy evening or if we was short staffed.

Over the years i had a number of different managers, i performed to the best of my standards with each one and completed the jobs that needed to be done. 

The team i worked with was a large team and over the years i have worked with 100s of staff, this involves staff from other clubs aswell as my own, most of the staff had a good attitude towards there work and were willing to come to work and get the job they are being paid for done, others who did not have such a positive attitude and were rude to staff and customers were dealt with, this included disciplinary procedures or maybe just pulled to the side for a chat and to air any problems they have.

The hardest part of my job could possibly be when a number of staff call in sick on a busy night when admissions are over 800+, It becomes a struggle and the customers can notice that, but with hard work and a no quit attitude the work gets done and the staff are rewarded.

The most enjoyable part of my job was to meet new customers on a daily basis and build a great rapport with regular customers.
The team i chose to represent my department were very hard working and i enjoyed getting positive feedback from customers on there performance on a regular basis.

Overall I love working at Mecca Bingo. The customer service aspect is what keeps me going in the industry. The regular customers to the new members signing up, its all a very interesting experience. I'm used to working efficiently and at a fast paced as I was previously a Nightclub floor supervisor for 3 years and a waiter/host for 3 years. The job opens you up to various situations and requires problem solving skills, an independent mindset and productive attitude can flourish here. Management could do with communicating more positive feedback towards the team members and not just the negative, but overall if you find the right place in the team you can really work towards your goals for advancement. The only thing we really need are hard workers and people that are willing to do the hours but also the dedication to a role and commitment. You can find a balance with home and work life. Always make clear your availability in the interview and push for the hours YOU want not what management want. You are the main reason Mecca is Mecca. You are the face of customer interaction. The first thing people see. I will continue to love this job and enjoy the little things that in brings. Allot of the older generation of customers have been coming to Mecca for decades, some have no family or friends and a 5 minute conversation their way makes their whole day. A smile, a laugh and a cup of tea while playing a game of bingo is all some people need.   

A typical day at work for me would consist of coming and and first of all checking all the rota's ensuring that every department is covered.
I would then make a start on my daily customer phone calls, covering my reactivation and retention customers. Throughout my day I will go to certain surrounding area's and promote a specific event that is going on in my clubs, this could be shop to shop leafleting or it could be on a promotional stand. I would then go back in to club, cover the floor on different departments if and when required.
There are three managers in every club I cover, these are the General Manager, the Operations Manager and myself the Membership Manager, although we all do have set out job specific roles we will all help out each other if and when needed too, I would say the management is very fair and equal.
The hardest part of my job is the disciplinary procedure's, although it is part of my job to take my staff through the disciplinary procedure if they do not work as they are supposed to, it is the only part of my job i don't enjoy doing.
The best part of my job is that not every day is the same, I get to see a varied group of customers every day, and I get to know so many different people from all different walks of life, it does make my job very funny and extremely interesting.

A typical day at work includes taking meals to customers, clearing tables, chatting to customers, dealing with complaints. Also cleaning the kitchen area, working as part of a team, sometimes bar and till work. I have learnt a lot working at Mecca. They have taught me how to use the till, work on the bar and how to provide good customer service. They have helped me to become more confident than I was when I first started there and I now feel happier and part of the team. Management are substantial. They are there to help if you have a problem with co-workers and they are flexible if you are ill or have family problems, however they struggle with sorting staff out which leaves us short staffed more often than not. The people that I work with are easy to get on with and support each other whether it is to do with private situations or in the work place. The most difficult part of the job is on busy shifts when we are short staffed as there are not enough hands to do all the work easily. The most enjoyable part of the job is speaking to customers, especially regulars and knowing that everyone is working as a team on each shift.

I enjoyed this job alot and got a lot of praise for the work i had done and had a great team to work with, with lots of help and understanding people.

a typical day would start with a polite hello to all team members and managers at work, then to go and get our floats to begin our shifts(depending on department) then waiting for customers to come in, great all customers kindly, help all customers with what ever they need, our jobs involved from checking bingo claims to making drinks, to cooking and serving food to customers, all regular customers always say about happy they are to see us and our bright smiley faces.

i learnt alot of bar skills and a small amount of silver service and i learnt alot about customer service and how to keep the customers coming back.

my co-workers where lovely people helpful and kind and always praising you for the good work you do and for going out of your way to help support a team.

the most enjoyable part of the job was to see my wounderful co-workers and our regular customers and having a nice little chat now and again with them.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Team member 118 salaries reported	£12.22 per hour
Assistant manager 29 salaries reported	£31,932 per year
Team leader 19 salaries reported	£12.99 per hour
Cleaner 20 salaries reported	£12.23 per hour
Caller 15 salaries reported	£12.57 per hour

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