Leisure group Rank has put almost 10% of its Mecca bingo clubs estate up for sale ahead of the smoking ban in England. Sunday Times

The company is preparing to sell 10 of its 103 units.

The bingo halls earmarked for sale are spread across England, from South Shields in the north to Andover in the south. Rank believes they would be the most adversely affected when the smoking ban comes into force in England in July.

In Scotland, where smoking was banned in March last year, revenues at Rank’s bingo halls have dropped 17%.