Remember bingo? The beloved pastime of British pensioners, haunting drafty village halls in forgotten seaside towns?
The yawn-inducing lottery game – in which a compere reads out a list of random numbers, and punters tick off their picks, shouting “bingo!” to signal a win – might be the antithesis of fast-paced, dazzlingly modern Dubai.
But now one nightspot is aiming to drag the beleaguered pastime kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Cheese-tastic party starters Societe, at Marina Byblos Hotel, have put their own spin on the game. Dubbed “Bonkers Bingo”, the new weekly night will see guests greeted with a bingo card on entry, and trestle tables lining the normally raucous dance-floor.
TV face Layne Redman will be the official master of ceremonies, calling out the numbers, dishing out prizes and, apparently, “insults”. Whether they will be more inventive than crowing “two fat ladies” – Bingo-speak for the number 88 – remains to be seen.
Drawn scores will be decided by lip-sync tie-breakers battles, while painfully ironic prizes include will include a mobility scooter, cat diapers, doughnuts and inflatable toys.
"From the moment the guys at Bonkers Bingo got in touch with me, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of," said Redman, best known as co-presenter of Out & About on Dubai One.
“Bingo is such a British institution, loved by the older generation back home. Taking something like that and transforming it into this crazy party night is just such a great idea.”
The night starts on March 1 and runs from 9pm-11.30pm every Wednesday. For more information call 0503571126 or email Kristina@societe.ae
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
