Hospital forced to ban gamers after Pokemon Go ‘gym’ is located in A&E department
The hospital had to remind members of the public they cannot wander into busy A&E to hunt down Pokemons
A HOSPITAL has banned Pokemon Go players after gamers discovered it is a key hub in the new craze.
The A&E is one of the real-world locations marked as Pokemon “gym”, where monster-hunting players can train newly-caught creatures in the popular game.
When fans of the fad, which combines gaming with real locations, learned of the Royal Stoke University Hospital site’s significance, they started going inside.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust said inpatients can play Pokemon Go as walking helps them exercise.
But other gamers are not allowed in.
The hospital also said if gamers become a major nuisance they will contact app developer Niantic and have the 'gym' removed from their location.
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Kevin Parker, Associate Chief Nurse at Royal Stoke, said: “Thankfully, they are taking our advice and haven’t entered the building.
“With the school hols approaching, we’d like the public to only use A&E in an accident or emergency.”
Meanwhile, another Pokemon gamer dialled 999 to report someone had “stolen their Pokemon” in Gloucestershire.
And Derbyshire cops said kids playing the game on a railway line at Swarkestone were dicing with death.
