Anyone hoping to put on the kind of rollicking, rip-roaring party that gets the crowd on its feet can always turn to one dependable event for inspiration: Bongo’s Bingo.
An epic promotion famed for putting a boisterous spin on a centuries-old card-playing game, Bongo’s is – on the surface – absolute mayhem.
Each new party is as rowdy as the last, with excitable toastmasters weighing in between bursts of music, head-slapping dance-offs, and bizarre prize revelations that range from giant unicorns to Henry Hoovers.
But beyond the frenzied stages, winding conga lines and roof-shaking decibels, there’s a team at work making it all tick. The chaos is organised. And the promotion is a phenomenon.
Bongo’s Bingo has, to date, sold over 1.5 million tickets – appearing in 50 countries and over 150 private hire events. A regular stop-off is Manchester – and the responsibility of implementing these crazy shows in the Rainy City has fallen to events company Square Fish.
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Neil Lofthouse – co-founder of the firm alongside his sister Steph – has been working with Bongo’s Bingo for years to make the magic happen at Albert Hall in a previous role.
Their partnership has proven such a success, in fact, that Square Fish has now been chosen to organise bespoke Bongo’s shows that can be booked by organisations for special one-off events.
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Ultimately, this means audiences can enjoy the intense, high-energy atmosphere of a classic Bongo’s night – only with the formula tweaked to fit the occasion.
Square Fish’s mission is to level up the entertainment and tailor shows to the client – whether it’s a private corporate party, conference, awards show or business festival.
Performances run for around two-and-a-half hours, featuring electric rounds of bingo buoyed by Bongo-branded extravagance.
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Neil said that he and his sibling Steph set up the events business to realise their ‘dream’ of running a firm together as a family. Manchester’s synonymy with music made this city the obvious geographic spot to get things going.
Just months after launching, a big name like Bongo’s has put its faith in Square Fish to manage the madness of its local shows.
Neil stated: “Manchester is a city like no other, the industry and people that support it are incredible. Manchester offers it all, from fresh and creative concepts, incredible music, and club scene to a thriving event sector.
“The events industry has been incredibly challenging, especially with the pandemic and the aftermath. We wanted to find a way to keep pushing forward and adapt our offering so we all could come out of the other side – we switched our business model to offer virtual experiences and created Boxspoke the bespoke gifting experience.
“We’ve got a great partnership with Bongo’s now and it’s hugely exciting to work with them.”
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As well as hosting virtual shows for thousands of viewers via Boxspoke and booming live experiences for bonkers crowds at Bongo’s, Square Fish has also established itself as an invaluable asset when it comes to the nuts and bolts of creating events.
The company can curate special lineups to ensure unforgettable shows, with a dedicated team handling all production and concept design work. Square Fish also operates as a ‘Venue Finder’: Helping clients pinpoint the perfect location for events that fit requirements, budget and vision.
The fact that Neil and Steph’s startup has thrived in such testing surroundings is testament to its capabilities – but the founders believe this is only the beginning.
“The future is bright for Square Fish and Manchester,” Neil clarified.
“We are super excited to have grown the team and can’t wait to share exciting upcoming projects very soon.”
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It sounds like the Square Fish parties are only going to get bigger, wilder and more ambitious as we move into 2022. If that sounds like your bag, it’s worth reaching out. A private Bongo’s Bingo is guaranteed to be a night that lives long in the memory.
If you fancy hosting a Bongo’s Bingo show for your business, you can contact Square Fish to talk arrangements via: [email protected].
You can also learn more about Square Fish and what they’re doing for the local events industry via their official website: https://squarefishevents.co.uk/
Gigs & Nightlife
Sankeys nightclub is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s officially happening: iconic local club Sankeys is coming back to Manchester city centre almost a decade on from its gutting closure.
The iconic ‘Sankey’s Soap’ nightlife space – which started out over in Ancoats during the mid-’90s – enjoyed numerous stints during its time in the clubbing world, as well as opening multiple partnered venues in the country and even overseas.
Now, approaching nine years after the shutdown, Sankeys is returning to Manchester in the new year, and Mancs are currently losing their minds.
Whether you are one of those who ‘remember it when’, or someone who sadly missed out on the halcyon days in the old Beehive Mill, we assure you that everyone is in agreement that this is nothing short of massive news…
First teasing the comeback back in July, as our city and the world at large were gripped by ‘Britpop Mania’ 2.0, the largely dormant Instagram account posted: “This week Manchester, and the UK, has been blessed with a homecoming of our very own, Oasis.
“We think Manchester deserves another homecoming… Definitely, maybe?”
The North West corners of the internet and veteran revellers alike were understandably quick to get excited by the potential revival, but nothing else had been said for months – until now.
Confirmed on Tuesday, 25 November, the infamous and storied nightclub’s social media team began by writing, simply: “The Legend Returns” and beckoning “a new era for Sankeys”.
It is still unclear as to where exactly the new and improved club(s) will be, but we do know that the events will be in the city centre. However, we do know we’ll be getting a familiar matrix grid installation as part of the design once again.
They will also be enforcing a strict new no-phones policy, which has become increasingly popular across the scene, thanks to the likes of Amber’s right here in Manchester.
Sankeys first opened in Manchester as "Sankeys Soap" in June 1994.[3] It was so called due to its residence inside Beehive Mill, Ancoats, which once was used to manufacture soap. The basement of the mill was transformed into a club and live music venue#pub#historypic.twitter.com/cnM6Nt23uZ
Sankeys may have remained an active promoter in the days since the building on the corner of Radium and Jersey Street (M4 6JG) closed – going on to become an unsuspecting office development – this will be the first event of the aforementioned next chapter in a flagship venue.
Promising a limited capacity of no more than 500 people, Sankeys is set to make its landmark return on
“We will only be open one night a week on Saturday. There will be no VIP or phones allowed on the dancefloor — everyone is a VIP. People need to stop taking pictures and start dancing to the beat.”
Hordes of clubbers, ravers, students and more are already signing up for early access and general admission tickets for the first two nights on Friday and Saturday, 30-31 January 2026 go on sale at 9am this Friday (28 Nov).
Get ready to grab yours HERE and party like it’s, well, 1994, 2017 – take your pick.
Review | ‘Hopefully!’, you get lucky enough to see the spectacle that is Loyle Carner live
The Manc
The O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester has this week played host to Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner this week, a.k.a. Loyle Carner, as he serenaded adoring listeners with his captivating lyrics, spine-tingling bass and drumlines, as well as his ever-laid-back warmth and charisma.
His stage name is the only spoonerism you’ll ever find in this man’s craft, as every syllable is as intentional and well-placed as the last.
Accompanied by an incredibly talented band and golden production, the night lends itself to a thought-provoking performance that leaves you wanting more. Consider me listening to nothing but this setlist for the foreseeable.
As the rumble of eager, loyal/Loyle – take your pick – listeners awaited his arrival, you could sense what this artist and his poetic music mean to people.
We've seen @LoyleCarner twice this week. We might even go again tonight – yes, he really is that good. 🎤
Opening with ‘in my mind’, just like that, you saw the crowd suddenly holding each other’s hands whilst comfortably sitting in the palm of Carner’s.
Let’s not forget his brilliant band, either, who all got their time in the spotlight and wowed as a collective.
Carner and the crowd definitely gave them the recognition they deserved, with piano solos throwing a blanket of respectful silence and tentative listening over the whole audience.
Loyle’s well-loved and special lyrics were echoed throughout the venue from start to finish.
He insisted (and not for the first time) that there’s “something special about playing in Manchester” – and we couldn’t agree more.
Carner’s vulnerability onstage opens a glowing portal for his listeners to do so as well. He encourages feeling. And as an audience, this is extremely clear in the room. It was a sea of warm embraces, agreeing heads and ignited eyes.
Loyle Carner was just as good on night two at Victoria Warehouse as he was on the first. (Credit: Audio North)
As the setlist crept towards the end, the crowd were not ready to say goodbye as the customary chants of ‘one more song!’ bounced off the Victoria Warehouse walls.
We were then blessed with a solo Loyle, who shared a typically creative and reflective spoken-word Carner special with us.
Without any demand, the crowd fell sweetly silent and absorbed his every word. A poet, pure and simple.
The 31-year-old rapper and wordsmith plays one more night at the venue to round off his mini residency tonight (Tuesday, 25 November 2025); you can try and grab last-minute tickets HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
1st December 2021 
