Mecca Bingo is reportedly looking at ways of reversing the damage of the smoking ban be investing significantly in gaming areas outside of the main bingo club where smokers will be able to enjoy playing bingo with the latest hand held electronic bingo equipment. The gaming giant has passed licensing requirements at a number of sites and is planning the installations in the near future.

Bingo clubs were hit hard when the smoking ban came into effect in 2006 and many bingo operators have taken steps to try and provide outside facilities that would stop bingo customers from enjoying their favourite game at home.

Reports in various local newspapers suggest that Mecca Bingo are investing £60,000 at clubs such as Leigh in Edinburgh in building significant external smoking shelters which will allow players to enjoy playing bingo while having a smoke.

The shelter will effectively be a 7ftt-high wooden fence outside the rear of the hall.

Planning permission was granted in November but the Edinburgh’s licensing board only gave permission this week to extend the gaming area in which gambling can take place in the rear of the bingo club. Not all councillors on the board were in support of the plans

Labour member Eric Barry commented: "This actually goes against public health by allowing people to spend longer in a smoking area while playing this game."

Chief executive of Ash Scotland, Sheila Duffy, commented: "They are being resourceful because many bingo clubs have lost money from customers going outside to smoke.

"But smoking is gambling with your life and one in two smokers lose so it would be great if Mecca would also display the Smokeline number or the contact details for the local stop smoking service as well."

While some of the local residents have expressed concerns about the level of noise Stephen McGowan, who represented parent company Rank Group at the licensing board meeting, said that the application was being considered under the Gambling Act 2005, which meant that neither residential amenity nor public health could be considered. He added: "There will be no public address system or speakers in this area.

"And as part of these changes, we are creating a noise lobby because internal double doors will be closed, so we are actually reducing the (noise) problem."

Councillor Marjorie Thomas, leader of the city's licensing board, said: "I do think that I am quite satisfied that all the measures put in place would seem to have done as much as they can to ensure amenity for neighbours.

"If there are any noise issues, we can look at that from the alcohol licence side of things (in future]."

Smoker and Mecca member Linsay Robertson, 32, said: "I think it's a good idea and a bad idea.

"It will give people the opportunity to smoke, which is what people use to do at bingo halls.

"But it will also separate the smokers from nonsmokers, and people go to bingo halls to socialise."