Mecca Bingo Debuts New Bingo Calls for 2017
Last year Mecca Bingo gave its members the chance to vote for brand new calls to replace the traditional shouts in bingo halls which have been around since the 1950s.
This year they’re going to trial the new calls in their bingo halls across the country, and these new phrases make reference to decidedly more recent pop culture icons and terminology – including shout outs to Netflix, Adele, Tinder and Taylor Swift! You can see the brand new calls below.
- YOLO (You Only Live Once) – Previously Kelly’s Eye
- Little Mix – Previously Tom Mix
- Popular with Strictly’s Len Goodman – Previously Lucky Seven
- Tinder Date – Previously Garden Gate
- Dabbing Machine – Previously Young and Keen
- Selfie Queen – Previously Dancing Queen
- I Don’t Know About You – Previously Two Little Ducks
- Lads on Tour – Previously Knock at the Door
- Adele – Previously Duck and Dive
- Hipster Heaven – Previously Duck and a Crutch
- Tag a Mate – Previously Four Dozen
- Historic US Route – Previously Clickety Click
- Netflix & Chill – Previously Anyway Up
- Moobs – Previously Two Fat Ladies
These new calls are going to be popping up in Mecca halls over the course of 2017. A spokesperson for Mecca Bingo, Caroline Webb, told The Mirror:
“With bingo attracting record numbers of younger players, we wanted to tap into the resurgence of interest in the game, and what better way than by refreshing one of the most iconic things about bingo – its calls for the numbers. Bingo calls are rarely used in Britain’s bingo halls these days, so the trial of 21st century inspired calls is sure to ignite excitement amongst regular players. Likewise, the references to modern culture phenomena and trends, such as hipsters and Tinder, and massive stars, like Adele and Little Mix is likely to appeal to the increasingly younger crowd which can be found playing bingo.”
Hmm. While references like ‘Tom Mix’ and ‘Kelly’s Eye’ might fly over the heads of younger bingo players, we’re not so sure about ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Garden Gate’ being replaced by ‘Selfie Queen’ and ‘Tinder Date’ – some of these new calls feel like a bit of a desperate attempt to prove that bingo is ‘hip’. But the new calls were all chosen in a vote by members, and might not ever leave Mecca bingo halls – only time will tell to see if any of these new calls will catch on!
What do you think of the new bingo calls?
Information from Mecca Bingo Blog, The Mirror, and The Daily Record. Image copyright Andrew Abbott.
