A BUSINESSMAN hoping to re-open a beloved bingo hall on Canvey has vowed to invest more than £10,000 to get it back to its former glory. 

The iconic bingo hall, on Furtherwick Road, which had served the community for decades was sold in May 2023 and has remained closed since.

Almek FMS Ltd in partnership with Seven Entertainment has submitted an application for a premise licence to be granted at Rio Bingo Hall.

When it closed, it was confirmed to the Echo that it had been purchased by families living on the island.

It was also suggested an unused part of the building was going to be converted into a synagogue, but the main bingo hall was available to rent.

This week it has since been revealed a re-opening is back on the cards.

Jamie Collison, director of Almek FMS Ltd, confirmed they are looking to re-open the Bingo Hall with Seven Entertainment.

He said: “We looked into what can be done with the building, but we knew that bingo is what is being missed by the locals and the older generation.

“All the contracts have been edited, and checked by solicitors, so now we are waiting on the landlord to set a signing date.

“We hope it could be open sometime in February, but we can’t promise a date at this stage as there is a lot of work to do.

“Once the hall has been cleaned up and the bar area is moved and we replace what has been ripped out, it will cost around £12,000 alone.

“It is going to be challenging and hard work but if the community is happy, we will be happy.”

The building initially started out as a community cinema in the 1930s, prior to the Second World War.

The last film was shown in 1976, before it was converted into a social club, which had been hosting bingo ever since.

Back in December 2022, there was hope that the bingo hall was set to re-open under AJ’s Bingo, but the deal fell through at the last huddle.

Ray Howard MBE, former long-standing Canvey councillor, added: “I know that there were a lot of disappointed people when it closed.

“So, if there is a new application, and hope, that is super. It was vital at the time. I welcome it and I would do anything I can to try and help and get it re-opened.”