Empire Theatre in Wisbech taken over by Rio Bingo with opening date to be announced soon
A bingo venue is opening up again in town.
Rio Social and Leisure, based on Canvey Island in Essex, will be taking over the Empire Theatre in Wisbech with an opening date hoped to be announced soon.
It was formerly a bingo venue, which was owned by Winners with premises also in Thetford, but closed its Wisbech branch on July 14.
Anthony Roberts, one of the directors of Rio Bingo, said the company was approached by a group in Wisbech who believed there was still potential at the venue.
He said: “So myself, my daughter-in-law and my son, who are the other two directors, met up and had a chat.
“There is still potential there and we do want to get it back open for the local community because, as you know, the local community submitted an online petition to get the bingo back open because a lot of them were not happy that it had closed.
“At the end of the day, with some of the community, bingo is the only form of social life they have, especially the elderly, since Covid-19.”
He said that as soon as the landlord agrees to details that need to be changed, he will then be able to set an opening date.
The old management team, which was in situ with Winner Bingo, will be back with Rio.
Those include Mark Dexter, who will be the general manager, and Suzanne Zuzka will be the assistant manager on behalf of Rio.
Anthony said: “They have agreed to take employment with us, and they will be doing the normal day-to-day running of the business.
“We really want as much of the community to support the reopening and to come and pay us a visit, and hopefully that leads to them coming on a regular basis to keep this open.
“I do not really want to open it and find in a year or two down the line that we are in the same position as Winners were.”
The premises will stay as a paper-only bingo hall.
It will be open on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays from 5pm-10pm. On Thursdays, it will be open for afternoon and evening sessions as well as Fridays and Saturdays .