THE Rank Group, one of the UK’s leading leisure businesses, is to invest more than £6 million and create about 100 jobs through a new leisure venture.

A 40,000 sq ft complex at the Westwood Cross retail park near Margate will open early next year.

It will be the focal point of the retail park and house a state-of-the-art G Casino as well as a Mecca bingo club featuring the latest technology-led gaming facilities.

Both Mecca and G Casino have started recruiting locally, working with job centres, employment partnerships and the Routeway to Work scheme, which helps the disadvantaged unemployed back into the workplace.

Mecca will be recruiting around 40 staff and G plans to hire about 65 on top of the 35 employees it will be bringing to the casino from other of its Grosvenor casino outlets in the south east.

Margate -born Lee Gambrill, whom is general manager of the Mecca Bingo Club, said: "I have been actively looking for new sites in Thanet for Mecca since 1993 and am absolutely delighted to be given the opportunity of opening this jewel in the crown for the company at Westwood Cross.