An article in The Independent mentioned that Simon Thomas, son of Jimmy Thomas have looked at the possiblity of buying back Beacon Bingo. Beacon Bingo along with the Showboat amusement arcades were sold to equity group Hermes just a few years ago along with Riva Bingo.  Just a few weeks ago, Bingosupermarket was the first to release the report that Brian Mattingley had aquired half the Riva group through the banks that included the Beacon Bingo chain of clubs in Loughborough, Northampton and Cricklewood.

Jimmy Thomas still attends the Bingo Association meetings and his fondness of the bingo industry has never left him. His son Simon Thomas shares his interests and the Independent's article is the first clear indication they could make a sensational return.

The Thomas's first bingo club was in Loughborough and they had 2 further clubs soon after that they eventually moved on from and still kept the Beacon Bingo in Loughborough.  They decided to expand again in the early 90's with Beacon Northampton and then opened the UK's largest Bingo club in Cricklewood London.  All Beacon clubs have involved considerable investment and had huge measures of success.  Up until its sale to Hermes just a couple of years ago, Loughborough attracted up to 4,000 admissions a week, Northampton 7,000 a week and Cricklewood reached around 13,000 per week.

The Thomas's timing of the sale was perfect and sold at its peak just before the introduction of the smoking ban and the downturn in the land based bingo market.