Rev Nigel McCulloch, The Bishop of Manchester enjoyed being the guest caller at a recent bingo club session, after a visit to the Cosmo Bingo club in Stalybridge.

The Bishop was at the centre of the controversy over the proposed super casino that was handed to Manchester a few years ago and has been seen as a figure opposed to Gambling, The super casino project has since been withdrawn for the time being by the government. He went on to defend his decision to visit and endorse the bingo club stating that he was able to see how bingo halls play an important role in the community.

He went on to say, "I have no objections to gambling on a small scale and a club like this can be helpful in joining and bringing a community together". He added " For some people bingo is the only time they will get to spend time talking to somebody, It's only when people are encouraged to spend too much money in big casinos that it becomes a problem and that is not going to happen here".

Manager and Bingo operator Keith Lee commented: "Cosmo bingo is a place where people come to meet and make friends. Winning a game of bingo is a bonus."

Cosmo Bingo is a very friendly and warm club and the company is still holding up well despite the tough trading conditions and the smoking ban. The future of the club is looking more secure as people are now looking for a cheap alternative to an expensive night out and Bingo does provide great value for money.