A bingo chain will remove its century-old name, Mecca, from one of its halls after Asian community leaders said it was an insult to their religion.

The local Islamic community was angry that the name of their holiest city was associated with gambling.

Senior management from the Rank Group decided to rename its bingo hall in Luton, Bedfordshire, after holding several meetings with the town's Asian community leaders.

It is not yet known what the hall will be known as and a Rank spokeswoman would say only that an "amicable agreement with the local community" had been reached.

Muslims in the town were furious when Rank, which owns 135 bingo outlets across the country, took over a Top Rank hall last month and changed its name to Mecca.

Several windows at the Luton Mecca building were broken

Bricks were used on Christmas Day to smash 15 of the 20 windows at the building, which lies in the centre of Luton's Muslim community, causing up to £3,500 worth of damage.

Meanwhile, Muslims in Bradford are also calling for a Mecca bingo hall that has been operating since the 1970s to change its name.

Khadim Hussain, General Secretary for Bradford Council for Mosques, said: "It would be greatly appreciated if the name could be changed.

"I am sure the community would appreciate it."

David Fitch, who runs the Interfaith Education Centre, in Listerhills Road, Bradford, agrees that the time may have come for a change. "I think they have a point.

"It is their holiest city worldwide and to have that city associated with gambling is a matter for concern."

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