Does anyone fancy a gloat?
It's over nine months since the Russell Square casino closed its card room. While I accept the duty of companies to make unpopular business decisions for the sake of shareholder profits, I thought that the closure was a mistake. The reason is that I could not see anyone other than poker players wanting to spend their evenings in a dimly-lit, low-ceilinged basement full of machines. At least, not outside of Leicester Square.

I've always listened out for news of how the casino is faring. I'm delighted to report that most people tell me that the downstairs area is dead and that the casino is quiet mid-week, when it used at least to have some atmosphere due to the presence of the poker players. But I have not seen this for myself yet. I have been meaning to go back and have a gloat some time this year. Would anyone like to join me? We can have a few drinks in the bar then move downstairs to look at an empty room of shining machines. It will of course be compulsory to make tutting noises if we catch the eye of managers while we survey the wasteland and a few cries of 'this used to have fifty people on a Wednesday night' should accompany the ritual sighing ceremony. Then we shall head off to a nearby restaurant.

Any takers? Write to me at sleeplessyoung@aol.com about this or anything else I've written. I deliberately don't have a forum, but this doesn't mean that I don't want feedback.