BINGO BOSS HONOURED: Norman Jacobs of Wisbech made an MBE in Queen's awards

BINGO entrepreneur Norman Jacobs has been made an MBE in the latest awards announced today by The Queen. Today he s well known for running the Empire at Wisbech as a bingo hall (his other club at March was sold earlier this year. But Mr Jacobs was once a

BINGO entrepreneur Norman Jacobs has been made an MBE in the latest awards announced today by The Queen.

Today he's well known for running the Empire at Wisbech as a bingo hall (his other club at March was sold earlier this year."

But Mr Jacobs was once a concert promoter who has over the years managed to sign up some huge stars to perform at his rural theatres: he has been made an MBE for services to business and to charity in East Anglia.

Norman Jacobs formed the Jacobs Theatre Leisure Group in his late 20s and began buying theatres in the area some of which he still owns today.

He also set up skating rinks, would run Saturday night dances and helped to bring some of the biggest names in show business to the Corn Exchange in Wisbech.

Among those were Ken Dodd, Tom Jones, Frankie Vaugham and the Hollies, although he turned down the Beatles because they were too expensive at the time.

Even though he is now past retirement age, he still owns theatres in Wisbech, Bury St Edmunds and Fakenham, which are mainly run as bingos and cinemas.

Father-of-three Mr Jacobs has also done numerous work for charity over the years, but is too modest to talk about and said that he had never done it for the publicity.

He said of his MBE: "I was delighted and obviously very surprised. I am just amazed really.