The new warehouse home of Bongo's Bingo has finally had its planning application approved by Liverpool Council six months after it opened.
Councillors approved the operation of Content, a warehouse in the Baltic Triange's Cain's Brewery Village, for five years.
The warehouse has been the home of the world famous event, which is currently the subject of a legal battle, since last summer.
Joshua Burke set up Content to act as a new home for the event, as well as a wider events space, following a dispute which saw it leave its previous home at Camp and Furnace.
Both Camp and Furnace and Shua Ltd, run by Burke and host Jonny Bongo, claim the rights to host the events but Camp and Furnace has now dropped the word Bongo from its own events.
A full High Court judgement on who owns the rights to stage the famous nights is set to be released later this year.
Bongo's Bingo events at Content have been taking place since August and the owners have been working with the council since then to get planning permission.
Planning officers had recommended the plans for approval in earlier documents, stating: “The warehouse has been constructed and the use has commenced.
“The proposal is for the warehouse to operate as a multi-use space that offers music, concerts, a dance hall and bingo.
“The main event is Bongo’s Bingo, a twist on traditional bingo as it is provided alongside entertainment events which offer comedy, music, dancing and performances by featured guest artists.
“This is every Friday and Saturday night and on other special days such as bank holidays, occasionally.”
What stage is the legal row at currently?
Baltic Triangle venue Camp wants exclusive rights to hold Bongo's Bingo events on Merseyside, with the bitter legal row having begun in the High Court back in September.
The venue also demands a share of profit from Shua Ltd – the firm run by Jonny Bongo - real name Jonathan Lacey - and his colleague, Joshua Burke.
Shua, on the other hand, remains adamant that Mr Lacey and Mr Burke “conceived and designed” the brand, and wants to prevent Camp itself from hosting the events.
The pair initially launched the nights while the latter was working at Camp, but Mr Burke left the firm in 2015 to take the event 'on the road'.
It's now become a huge success at major venues across the UK – being held as far afield as Dubai and Australia.
