Bingo Entrepreneur Keith Waterman has taken over the Empire Bingo club in Wisbech under a a lease agreement. Mr Waterman has been in the industry since 1974 as a bingo caller and checker. He later on ran clubs as part of a family business with the Winners Bingo clubs at Thetford and Bury St Edmunds.

You could also say that Mr Waterman was the pioneer of the smoking ban in England when he was the first operator to introduce the ban following the refurbishment of Bury St Edmunds a year prior to the introduction of the ban.

The Empire in Wisbech became available when the original owner and occupier Norman Jacobs announced his retirement earlier this year, Mr Jacobs will however remain as the landlord to the bingo hall.

Mr Waterman is already laying down plans to refurbish the club and commented that it was looking a little dated. The bingo club will be given a new lease of life as alterations will be made gradually.

It wasn't too long ago when Mr Waterman had to make the painful decision of closing one of his clubs in Brandon due to the smoking ban, it is great to finally see an operator who has now bounced back and is looking forward to being part of the industry for many years to come.