Armed Police officers were called to a Gala Bingo club to remove a disabled bingo player on 31st May in a move that will be seen as somewhat embarrassing to both the Police and the gaming giant.

 

Officers marched Kevin Thomas, 47, out of Gala Bingo, in Milton Keynes, Bucks, after staff called 999. Thomas had been playing a game of bingo with his bingo friends when a dispute erupted and the bingo staff claimed he abused them about the food.

 

While online reports from the Sun have not mentioned exactly what was said bingo bosses at Gala may look back and think that the situation could have been handled more discretely. While there is no justification for abusing staff in any establishments, you have to accept if you work in a bingo club that there will be a certain amount of moaning from bingo players. This is likely to be more so from the older generation, whether that be about the club temperature, calling speed of the game, cost of bingo, food etc. In addition in many bingo clubs the food is more like a quick food establishment than a fine restaurant and at times it may not be up to its normal standards and there will be customers that are more vocal about this than others.

 

A Gala statement claimed: “What happened was not a one off. There has been unacceptable behaviour towards our staff and management over a prolonged period of time.”

 

Unacceptable behaviour? The statement seems somewhat vague, but isn't that the kind of behaviour that you pay your manager to deal with, not call the police in? I am guessing that Gala would have been quick to have dropped the word 'threatening' into the statement if this had been the case to try make it sound a little bit more sensible. The police claim the man was moved on, not cautioned, arrested or anything that might suggest he had actually done something wrong.

 

The report in the Sun, suggests staff called 999. I would loved to know how the caller decided this was in fact an emergency.

 

I have to say, having managed a few bingo clubs myself, the only time I have had to call the Police, for assistance, is on two occasions where there was physical violence between customers and that was at a very 'unique' site. In fact I don't know any bingo club manager that has resorted to calling the Police for verbal comments. Could the manager not have just threatened to suspend the players membership of the club – normally this works a treat. Maybe a discussion about the situation behind closed doors – if only I had an extra £1 for everyone of those I had had with a customer. Calling the Police in would suggest there might need to be a little more training?

 

Ironically the situation saw armed Police attend to remove Kevin who explained: “I’m disabled and the bingo was the only place I went to meet my friends and others, but now they have taken my pleasure away.

 

“Armed police turned up and I thought that things had gone a bit too far.

 

Kevin suggests that he was not doing anything wrong and claims the staff had it in for him following a previous complaint about their food.

 

“I have never abused a member of staff. I think some of the managers got their knuckles rapped over the food.”

 

It's a good job there wasn't an armed robbery or hostage situation going on at that time, people lives might have been put at risk. Never mind at least the Gala club manager didn't have to deal with the matter.

 

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police commented: “Armed officers were the nearest available unit and consequently attended the scene. The man was moved on.”