Despite members' frustrations over the Commercial Road building's closure they didn't let it go quietly, packing it out for one final night.

A queue gathered before 5pm and built up along the pavement as regulars tried to make sure they were near the front to bag their lucky table when doors opened at 5.30pm.

Around 200 players were treated to a cabaret before eyes down was called for the final time from 7.30 - 9.30pm.

But following the emotional night, in an ironic twist, it was revealed that despite Gala closing the hall the company is still desperate to keep hold of its members.

It had already announced it was going to run free buses to its Glenrothes hall on Flemington Road but members revealed the company has also written to them individually on two occasions, pleading with them to join Glenrothes by offering tokens and incentives after rival company Club 3000 Bingo, which has a hall at Glenrothes' Carrick Gate, started its own publicity campaign.

One local player Anne McEwan, who led the campaign against the Leven closure, described the two clubs fighting over the players as being like "bingo wars" but added Club 3000 was firmly in the driving seat.

Mrs McEwan explained: "They (Gala) have been mailing members telling them how to change their membership over to Glenrothes and sending out vouchers and an itinerary for free buses but Club 3000 is actually in the old Gala hall in Glenrothes as Gala moved out to a bigger one and most prefer the old one.

"There is also no way many of us will ever set foot in a Gala hall again after the way they have treated us, we have all said we are going to boycott it.

"Funnily enough both companies are running buses from the Leven hall to Glenrothes at around the same time, it will be like 'should I run on this bus or should I run on that one'."

Both bingo companies confirmed they have a number of special offers available for customers at their Glenrothes clubs.