time! The game used to be predominantly working class in large, smoky, halls, which had been converted from old cinemas, whereas most venues are now smaller and purpose built with more of an emphasis on the social side.


Overall admissions have declined over the years but the customer profile has altered too. Although more younger people play now, there is a still a perception that the game is only played by old people. Most places saw a 20% reduction in attendance after the smoking ban.


What are your proudest achievements during your time at Beacon Bingo?


I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Beacon. I think my proudest achievement is the admission figures. We’ve enjoyed a 5% increase, year on year, this year. Our best result since the smoking ban. When I ran the Cricklewood venue, we had 17,500 admissions a week, some 2,500 people per day. The recession has put a strain on every business so for us to keep progressing was a very positive step.


Can you give us an overview of Beacon Bingo, their history, and where the company is heading?


We’ve recently been taken over by the Praesepe group of companies, one of Europe’s largest gaming organisations. Praesepe plc – created and led by Nick Harding as Chief Executive Officer – was formed in 2007 to acquire or develop businesses in the ‘Low stake High volume’ gaming market in the UK and Europe. The first was completed in July 2008 and has since been


rebranded and relaunched as Cashino. Praesepe took over Beacon Bingo in April of this year.


Going back to the beginning, Beacon was founded by Jimmy Thomas in 1963 through Thomas Automatics, which designed, manufactured, supplied and exported amusement and leisure equipment to 39 countries. His first club opened in 1966.


In 1978, Beacon opened the first UK new-build bingo club in Hounslow, near Heathrow Airport in west London. In 1991, my venue Northampton opened and changed the face of live bingo in the country. The progress continued in 1996 when the company went on to develop the largest bingo club in the world when it opened the flagship Beacon Bingo club at Cricklewood, north London.


We then moved to make all our venues ‘electronic’ and pioneered ‘noisy’ bingo in the B2 room at Northampton. As I’ve mentioned before, ‘noisy’ bingo has to be considered as the industry moves forward, and further embraces technology.


Beacon also operates live clubs in Brighton, Streatham and Lowestoft and last year launched the first online bingo site in the UK to incorporate ‘Site Hosts’ welcoming and helping new players find their way around the site. The site includes a flourishing online community that is growing by the day.


Praesepe is based in Milton Keynes, Bucks and employs over 900 people across its gaming venues – six Beacon Bingo Clubs, 94 Cashino adult gaming centres, and four seaside family amusement centres.


bingo life magazine


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