{{Short description|UK based event company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox company | logo = Logo of Bongo's Bingo.jpg | type = Private | industry = Entertainment | founded = April 2015 | area_served = Worldwide | num_employees = 120 | website = {{url|www.bongosbingo.com}} }}
'''Bongo's Bingo''' is a bingo-themed event created by Joshua Burke and Jonny Lacey in April 2015. Originally operating from Liverpool's Camp and Furnace venue, it is now based in its own custom built venue, Content, as well as regularly hosting nights around the UK and abroad.
== History ==
In April 2015, Joshua Burke and Jonny Lacey (Jonny Bongo), who had been hosting pub quizzes and club nights in Liverpool joined together to create Bongo's Bingo, an evening of bingo with the atmosphere of a "student rave".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirwin |first=Ellen |date=2018-01-20 |title=Meet the men behind the internationally renowned Bongo's Bingo |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/meet-men-behind-internationally-renowned-14179145 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref> It quickly gained popularity and by 2019 was hosting sell-out nights in Ibiza, Dubai, Australia and Amsterdam.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kent-Smith |first=Jasmine |date=April 2019 |title=Promoter Focus: Bongo's Bingo |url=https://wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=production&url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=136166504&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |journal=Mixmag |issue=335 |pages=111}}</ref> In 2019 they also moved from their original home of Camp and Furnace to their own venue, Content, on Stanhope Street in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ben |first=Bingo |date=2019-08-14 |title=Bongo's Bingo Liverpool Troubles Continue |url=https://bingodaily.co.uk/news/bongos-bingo-liverpool-troubles-continue/708/ |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=BingoDaily |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Bongo's Bingo held three events in New York in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Culgan |first=Rossilynne Skena |title=Part bingo night, part rave, Bongo’s Bingo is making its NYC debut this month |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/part-bingo-night-part-rave-bongos-bingo-is-making-its-nyc-debut-this-month-020924 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240225070358/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/part-bingo-night-part-rave-bongos-bingo-is-making-its-nyc-debut-this-month-020924 |archive-date=2024-02-25 |access-date=2026-01-13 |work=Time Out New York |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2025 Bongo's Bingo marked their tenth anniversary with two shows at the Exhibition Centre, Liverpool. In that decade they had had over 5 million customers and given away over 5,000 Henry hoovers as prizes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Sawyer |first=Miranda |date=2025-03-02 |title=Rave, games and showers of Coco Pops: a night out at Liverpool’s Bongo’s Bingo |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/mar/02/rave-games-and-showers-of-coco-pops-a-night-out-at-liverpools-bongos-bingo |access-date=2026-01-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=‘It’s a dose of escapism’: A chat with Jonny Bongo |url=https://confidentials.com/liverpool/its-a-dose-of-escapism-a-chat-with-jonny-bongo |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=Confidentials |language=en}}</ref> {{As of|2025}}, there are 40 regular Bongo's Bingos nights around the UK as well as events in Dubai and Australia, hosted by 18 different teams and the company as whole employs 120 people.<ref name=":0" />
Celebrity performers have included David Hasselhoff, the Vengaboys, B*Witched and Kelis, while Samuel L. Jackson made an unannounced appearance at a Glasgow show.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hookway |first=James |date=30 August 2022 |title=England's Wildest Event Is Bingo Night; Bongo's Bingo nights mix dance-offs, cheesy giveaways and '90s nostalgia with the actual game; 'absolutely the best bit' |url=https://www.proquest.com/blogs-podcasts-websites/englands-wildest-event-is-bingo-night-bongo-s/docview/2707889782/se-2 |access-date=13 January 2022 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Duke |first=Simon |date=2021-03-17 |title=What happened to B*Witched - from band fall out to TV lifeline |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/where-are-bwitched-now-group-20193447 |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Chronicle Live |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Houghton |first=Tom |date=2019-09-16 |title=The plan for upcoming Bongo's Bingo nights as court case delayed |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/bongos-bingo-whats-happening-upcoming-16922764 |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Samuel L Jackson appears at bingo party night |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-65155538 |access-date=2026-01-13 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Legal case == In 2020 Burke and Lacey won a case in the High Court against Camp and Furnace, who had claimed ownership of the Bongo's Bingo name and logo and a 15% stake in the business.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Houghton |first=Tom |date=2020-03-25 |title=Jonny Bongo wins High Court battle with Camp and Furnace |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/jonny-bongo-wins-high-court-17975596 |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Shua Ltd v Camp And Furnace Ltd [2020] EWHC 687 (Ch) |date=24 March 2020 |url=https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2020/687.html |access-date=2026-01-12}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Bingo Category:Event management companies of the United Kingdom Category:Gambling companies of the United Kingdom Category:2015 establishments in England