Forty have their chips - and eat them!

The Stowmarket Cedars Hotel was turned into a passable imitation of Monte Carlo when the Rotary Club of Gipping Valley organised a casino night and buffet supper in March 2009.   Forty members and guests turned up in formal dress to place their bets on the spin of the roulette wheel and the turn of the cards in blackjack.   Luckily for those whose ability to upset the odds was slight, the only money at stake was that provided in non-authentic currency by the organisers. By contrast, those who might have made a killing had to be satisfied with the knowledge that on another day they might have broken the bank.   Although the night was primarily intended as a evening of fun, a reasonable sum of money was raised for the Rotary Foundation charity.