A regular at the Neon Social Club has claimed that he was barred from the local after a bust-up during the bingo session.

David Rankin, who is 58 and disabled says that he was told to leave the Neon Social Club on Jarrow's Scotch Estate, South Shields after a weekend noise row.

James Renwick, secretary and spokesman for the Nairn Street club denied Mr Rankin has been barred, saying he was only asked to leave the club after he made too much noise in the concert room during a bingo session on Sunday night.

"He's not barred. You have to go through a lot of procedures before you can bar anyone. He was just making too much noise and was asked to leave on the night."

Mr Rankin, who has been a member of the club for more than 30 years said: "I was definitely barred from the club. They claimed I had been causing trouble with the barmaid, but I wasn't at all.

"I can't understand why the committee has got anything against me. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I really don't think I want to go back to that club again after the way I have been treated."

Mr Renwick added: "I got a message from the bingo checker to go to the concert room because someone was making too much noise.

"I merely asked the gentleman to 'keep the noise down,' but he became agitated and said he'd been a member of the club for 34 years.

"If we are going to bar anyone we have to go through a procedure, which involves giving them a letter.

"I don't know why he got the impression he was barred. That's not the case, and he can come back at any time."

In the experience of those that work in the Bingosupermarket office we were not surprised. Between us we could recall at least 20 occasions when similar incidents had happened at bingo clubs we had worked at. Bingo managers at somepoint every year will have to ask a customer to adapt their behaviour or leave the premises. Alcohol normally plays a part in this. What we would point out is that the majority of the cases the players is asked to leave to PREVENT them from being barred, because if they continued with the behaviour or it became worse they would end up getting barred. It is important to remember that generally when people are barred it is not normally a lifetime ban but generally for a period of say a month. Secondly this is normal because the members behaviour has got to the stage where it is effecting the enjoyment of other members of the club.