IT IS tempting to say that Southampton’s numbers have definitely come up.

Gala Bingo is opening a new club bringing 50 much-needed jobs to the city, as we report today on pages one and seven.

It is quite a reversal of fortune for an industry which has seen a huge number of clubs closing over the past few years.

Yet Gala has seen fit to invest £5million in its first newly built club in almost a decade – and it has chosen Antelope Park in Thornhill as the venue.

For this we have to thank the government cutting the bingo tax and the subsequent pledges from major operators to expand their operations.

Gambling – in all its forms – is growing and people are rightly concerned about its impact on those in our communities who can least afford to lose money.

Indeed that is one of the main planks of opposition to the super casino planned for the redeveloped Royal Pier.

Yet bingo is a relatively safe form of gambling, which also fosters a sense of togetherness when it is played in a communal setting.

While the game is an established favourite with the older generation, Gala says it is committed to trying to attract younger participants although it has not yet revealed how it intends to do so.

Whatever the company choses to do, it will be a welcome addition to the city when it opens in January.