Wisbech Rio Bingo (Formerly Winners Bingo) – Blackfriars Rd

Wisbech’s Rio Bingo occupies a genuinely significant building, the former Empire Theatre, a Grade II* listed cine-variety venue that opened in 1932. Designed by F. B. Ward and C. Woolnough, it was built as a combined cinema and variety theatre rather than a film-only picture house, seating around 1,000 across two levels with a substantial stage, though without a full-height fly tower. Architecturally it stands out for its rather eccentric take on Art Deco, with more individualistic decorative details than the standard streamlined cinemas of the period. Bingo’s arrival was gradual rather than a clean switch, with some accounts pointing to bingo being played from around 1962 while cinema and live theatre continued alongside it, and full-time bingo only really taking over the building around 2004. A false, removable wall was fitted into the proscenium arch to separate the bingo floor from the old stage, meaning the theatrical space survived largely intact rather than being demolished or hidden away.

For years the venue traded as the Empire Bingo and Social Club, one of Wisbech’s two small bingo halls alongside the Hippodrome in nearby March, before later becoming Winners Bingo. That chapter ended abruptly in July 2025, when Winners closed the club with just one day’s notice, prompting a local petition campaign to bring bingo back to the town. The premises were subsequently taken on by the team behind Rio Bingo, associated with Paul Austin-Roberts, and after a short delay completing the lease, the club officially relaunched on 30 November 2025, with Wisbech mayor Janet Tanfield cutting the ribbon. Today it remains open as Rio Bingo Wisbech, trading from the same historic Empire building, with its original auditorium, stage and proscenium still very much part of the experience, a rare case of a Grade II* cine-variety theatre continuing to serve its community nearly a century after it first opened.

Opening Times:

The club opening hours are as follows. Please note these were correct at the time of publication, but are liable to change so please check with the club before you leave:

• Monday: TBC
• Tuesday: TBC
• Wednesday: TBC
• Thursday: TBC
• Friday: TBC
• Saturday: TBC
• Sunday: TBC

Main Session Times

Listed below are the club’s main session times but are liable to change – confirm with the club first.

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Other Clubs In The Area

• Kings Lynn Ritz Bingo – St James Street
• Peterborough Buzz Bingo (Formerly Gala Bingo) – Westfield Road

Provided exclusively for Playing Bingo by the artist duo Henry/Bragg who photographed several UK bingo halls as part of their B.I.N.G.O project, the photos show the bingo hall in what appears to be an unaltered theatre. The stage itself has what looks like the original Art Deco motifs, although it would be hard to imagine a theatre opened in the thirties having the main player’s stage blocked off halfway across it’s depth, so perhaps there has been some alteration, otherwise it looks like the rest of the venue has barely changed.

The embellishments throughout appear to be of an Egyptian style which was not uncommon, the frequent use of the triangles almost echoing Masonic symbolism. The proscenium is also interesting, as most were curved, whereas the stage is ‘framed’ in a very angular manner, a theme which is constant throughout the building, even the columns are ‘squared off’ at the top. We would love to hear from anyone who knows exactly what the design provenance of this venue was as it is has such a unique style.

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