I was a guest at the Dabbers Social Bingo launch night.
Jump off the sofa and dive into your TV as you star in your favourite Saturday night show. In this exciting new game, decipher the answers to our quizzical conundrums for which numbers to dab off. It’s a bingo flavoured quiz – now known as Quingo!
If you’ve been reading Hannatalks for a while, you’ll know that I love finding quirky and exciting things to do in London, like champagne brunch at the Gherkin, Lady Dinah’s Cat Eporium and Camden beach at the Roundhouse.
Dabbers Social Bingo is the UK’s first contemporary venue purposefully designed to celebrate the beloved game of bingo. There’s a variety of seating on offer from sharing benches for big groups or those feeling really sociable, there’s an exclusive booth and seating around the edge of the room with smaller tables, these were where Lizi and I had chosen to sit. Make your mark at Dabbers Social Bingo February 13, 2019October 27, 2020 The London Bingo market is becoming increasingly more popular with new venues bringing in bingo brunches, bingo dinners, bingo parties and well, anything you can turn into bingo is being done. Dabbers Social Bingo is the UK's first contemporary bingo venue. We're reinvigorating bingo for the 21st Century. BOOK NOW at https://dabbers.bingo.
Bingo isn’t necessarily something I’d consider playing, but Dabbers Social Bingo is a new favourite thing to do in London that I didn’t know I was missing!
Dabbers Social Bingo
Dabbers is a contemporary bingo hall in Shoreditch, located just a short walk from London Liverpool Street. It’s the UK’s first (and only) purpose built contemporary bingo hall open 7 days a week. You can expect bingo like no other here – featuring a whole host of comedians, performers and musicians, dishing out huge prizes and winning bingo balls from a one-off custom built ball machine.
There’s also a full food and cocktail menu which you can order from throughout your time there, and lots of comfy seating to either sit on a shared table or in your very own booth.
Bingo Daubers Walmart
Another reason for Dabber’s being truly unique is their themed nights; including Dabbers Social Bingo Club on a Monday where every one taking part in the evening picks a favourite number and when the Yellow Phone dials, the lucky winner will be granted membership to the Social Bingo Club for 50% off your bill for life, or Bingo Voyage on a Friday where one lucky winner will win a holiday! There’s even Bottomless Brunch Club on Saturdays and Family Brunch Bingo on a Sunday – so there really is something for everyone!
Launch night
Jade and I went along to their press launch night in late January and it was hands down the best night out I have had in a long time! The venue is fun and welcoming, with a bar as you step into the venue and a cloakroom, and a flight of stairs leading down to the bingo hall. There’s plenty of seating to choose from and a handy bar to order cocktails, wine and beer from.
The host was fantastic and so much fun, explaining how to play Bingo and getting the audience hyped up. The bingo games itself were fun to play and easy to follow, with 2 girls calling out the numbers. We were treated to cocktails and canapés – taken from the full menu available. Jade and I nibbled on tiger prawn skewers, buffalo glazed chicken skewers, beef steak balls, haddock & parmesan arancini and burger sliders. The cocktails were deliciously and generously strong too!
We were asked to write our lucky numbers on a piece of card and at some point during the night, the phone would ring and whoever had their lucky number called would win a prize. Well – Jade had the lucky number and so she won the waving Chinese cat! It’s quirky little additions like this that really makes this bingo hall stand out. We also played other interactive games throughout the evening to win prizes, and karaoke tunes filled the room when the special disco ball was chosen in the Bingo machine.
Dabbers are great with getting people involved on social media too; every post on Instagram and Twitter that included the hashtag #dabbersbingo was printed out on a little polaroid print – which I thought was a lovely touch!
We had the best evening at the Dabbers Bingo launch and I honestly can’t wait to go back again; and hopefully win big next time!
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The London Bingo market is becoming increasingly more popular with new venues bringing in bingo brunches, bingo dinners, bingo parties and well, anything you can turn into bingo is being done. However, a couple of weeks ago I was invited by Love Pop Ups London to go down to Dabbers Social Bingo in Houndsditch for their launch party and let me tell you. It was the most fun night I’ve had in a while and I think i’m their new biggest fan (along with everyone else that had an amazing night with me). Finally a cool, trendy bar with a focus on bingo rather than just a bar that occasionally opens it’s doors to bingo fanatics like me.
Dabbers is the UK’s first contemporary venue purposefully designed to celebrate the beloved game of bingo.
And it’s not like they just have a few games a week. No no no, they have a different theme of bingo EVERY evening. So whichever day you’re free or whichever type of bingo you fancy there’s sure to be something to suit you!
Monday is Social Bingo Club
Tuesday is High Stakes Bingo
Wednesday is Bawlers Bingo
Thursday is Pick’n’mix Bingo
Friday is Bingo Voyage (one lucky winner will win a holiday in this fast paced, high energy flagship night.)
Saturday has Dabbers Brunch club and Bingo Bonanza/Jackpot Bingo/Disco Bingo
Sunday has Family Brunch Bingo/ Odd Balls Bingo
As well as monthly events including Vintage Bingo, Speed date bingo, fiesta bingo and Dabbers presents!
It was crazy busy when we got there and we weren’t too sure what was going on as it was quite hard to see through the crowds that had formed by the bar as you come in. We made it to the bar and picked up a welcome prosecco and then joined a queue in the hopes it would lead us to where we needed to be. Turned out it was the queue for the cloakroom but then lead down to the main bingo arena. It looks like the type of place that professional bingoers (is that a thing?) would congregate for a wild night out. Proffesional AF. Yet, still cool and fun with modern vibes. Probably not what most people first think when bingo comes to mind, but get with the times. Bingo isn’t for old ladies anymore.
There are all sorts of seats including the main area where there are rows of tables with a shelf to make sure you don’t spill your drinks all over your bingo sheets (this usually happens every time I go to any bingo event and means that I never make it to the end). Then there is banquette seating around the edges of the area for slightly more intimate groups/dates OR you can go all out and bag yourself a Baller Booth, for either 5 or 12 people and also comes with prosecco… I know what i’ll be doing for my returning visit.
During the launch party, the food and drink was complimentary with canapes (nibbles and bites) and cocktails followed by some shared mains, all of which were ball shaped and rather tasty. There were sides such as fries, mac n cheese and salad. The balls included Angus Beef Steak balls, Sausage balls, Haddock and Parmesan Arancini or pumpkin falafel which could be served on a base of mashed potato or rice. I was VERY impressed by the service and how the staff went out of their way to make sure my vegan guest didn’t starve. Including bringing her her own little selection of canapes and ensuring she had vegan mains as well. This was such a great touch.
Then. Bingo time!
The music was playing and people were getting into the bingo mood as the hosts were introduced and explained the rules and prizes. It was all very happy and boozy and everyone was included. The prizes weren’t the best prizes that I’ve seen at a bingo event but maybe I’m just bitter because I didn’t manage to bag one, I would’ve been happy with any of the prizes if i’m completely honest.
An unexpected moment of the evening was the unveiling of the lottery-style bingo machine, which made it seem all the more professional and exciting and also made for some awesome pictures.
We played 2 games of bingo during our time at the party and there was much fun had by all, including little extra challenges such as dance-offs in order to crown the winners. This would normally terrify me but everyone there seemed to be loving it and rooting for people to win rather than laughing at them.
Dabbers would be the perfect date spot (maybe not a first date in case you have to get up and dance on the stage like a mad man, but that’s what the speed dating bingo is for) or if you can collect a group of pals that are equally as bingo mad as you then I would definitely head for here! I know i’ll be coming back to try every form of bingo and to hopefully win some fantastic prizes!
Cheap Bingo Daubers
Thanks so much to dabbers and love pop ups London for having us!
https://dabbers.bingo/ – @dabbersbingo
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This experience was complimentary as an invite but all views are my own