There won’t be a full house at a bingo hall in Huddersfield because well known publican Ricky Park has been banned.

He has been told to stay away from Mecca Bingo in Folly Hall Mills, St Thomas Road, after staff became aware he has declared himself bankrupt.

The 59-year-old has been a member at the club for four years and played there two or three times a week.

But Mecca Bingo does not allow bankrupts to play as part of its ‘responsible gambling policy.’

The Examiner revealed last month that Ricky, the colourful licensee of Ricky’s Bar on Leeds Road, has declared himself bankrupt with debts of about £50,000 after struggling in the face of mounting costs and declining trade.

Ricky Park at Ricky's, Leeds Road, Huddersfield.

The pub, once a favourite watering hole of Huddersfield Town supporters on matchdays – and Ricky’s home for the past 32 years – has now closed.

Ricky blamed a combination of factors for the demise of the pub which for many years was known as the Waggon and Horses. The main one was a decline in trade.

He says staff at Mecca Bingo must have become aware of the bankruptcy after seeing the article.

“I think what they have done is terrible and they are stigmatising bankruptcy,” he said. “It feels like a kick in the teeth.

“If you mugged an old lady and were wearing a tag you could go into Mecca Bingo. But I’m not allowed in.

“Bankruptcy is nothing to be ashamed of. It is designed to help you move on and start again and I feel they have trampled all over me.

“I loved it there and it was almost an escape route.

“With everything else that was going on it felt like a place I could go to find a little peace.”

Ricky's Bar

Ricky has been told he can reapply to join the club when his bankruptcy is discharged.

“When they told me my membership had been revoked they said it had come up at a meeting, and they have discussed me,” he said.

“I wanted people to know I had declared myself bankrupt as I know a lot of people and I felt it was only right.”

A spokeswoman for Mecca Bingo said: “We cannot discuss individual customers. However, we can confirm that, as part of our responsible gambling policy, if we are made aware that any customer is bankrupt, we consider it to be in their own best interests not to play at our clubs and therefore we revoke membership until the bankruptcy is discharged.”