Officials at Carlton Bingo, a prominent Scotland-based bingo company, were recently reported as saying that they had postponed all expansion plans until a detailed evaluation of the new smoking ban's impact on bingo revenues was completed.

Although Peter Perrins, Carlton Bingo's managing director, said that the smoking ban, which took effect in late March, had an instant negative impact on admissions at the company's bingo halls, he refused to release details on the drop.

During 2005, Carlton bingo opened two new bingo halls in Inverness and Dunfemline. The two projects carried a £6 million price tag, between them. Nevertheless, all capital projects have been put on hold for indefinite time until the ban's effect on trade is properly assessed.

Carlton Bingo operates 18 gaming facilities across Scotland and the north of England, and employs as many as 550 staff members.