Wisbech in Cambridgeshire is gearing up for an exciting revival of its local bingo scene as Rio Bingo officially reopens the doors of the iconic Empire Theatre on Sunday 30th November 2025. The eagerly awaited reopening follows the abrupt closure of the previous bingo operator, Winners Bingo, earlier this year.
A Family Firm Responds to Community Demand
The new operators, Rio Leisure & Social Ltd, which runs a popular bingo hall in Canvey Island in Essex, stepped forward after being approached by local campaigners hoping to bring bingo back to the town. Despite challenges faced by the previous operator, the enthusiasm shown by Wisbech residents was a key motivator in the company’s decision to open the new bingo hall.
Rio Bingo has confirmed on its Facebook Page that the venue will focus on traditional paper bingo, creating a welcoming, community-driven atmosphere aimed especially at older players and longtime regulars.
Rio Bingo Wisbech Facebook
Opening Night and Weekly Schedule
Rio Bingo will host its grand reopening on Sunday, 30 November at 5pm, with a full schedule of sessions planned throughout the week:
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Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays: Evening sessions from 5pm
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Thursdays & Fridays: Daytime and evening sessions
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Saturdays: Morning session at 10:30am and evening session
Players can also look forward to Cashline table games priced between 50p and £1, as well as national link games offering impressive jackpots of up to £50,000.
Pre-Registration Week to Reduce Queues
To help ensure a smooth opening night, Rio Bingo will run a pre-registration week from 23–29 November, open daily between 11am and 4pm. New members can sign up for free and collect their membership cards in advance.
A Welcome Boost for Wisbech — and a County Losing Its Bingo Halls
For Wisbech and the wider Cambridgeshire region, the reopening of The Empire Theatre, a Grade II-listed building on Blackfriars Road, as Rio Bingo, provides some much-needed good bingo news. Over the past decade, Cambs, like much of the UK, has witnessed the gradual disappearance of its bingo halls, from closures in Cambridge and Ely to reduced options in the surrounding areas.
Rio Bingo’s welcome return, therefore, fills a growing void in the local bingo landscape and shows how independents, like Rio Bingo and Club 3000 Bingo, are leading the fight back against bingo hall closures.
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