Over the last few years, board game cafes have been springing up all over the country. Now, 3 Islanders’ shared passion has led to the creation of the Isle of Wight’s first dedicated board game café.
‘Board’ is opening its doors at 66 (Upper) St James’ Street, Newport this Saturday (10th August). With an ever-expanding stock of over 200 games available to play, there is something for every age range, skill or interest level.
Board games have enjoyed a huge resurgence in recent years and give people a chance to disconnect from their tech devices and reconnect with each other. There is no WiFi on offer and the café is a tech-free haven, encouraging people to leave their screens alone and engage with friends and family, meet new people and actually talk.
The idea to open Board came from a group of friends: Andy Jolliffe, Chris Longhurst and Karen Longhurst. The trio have teamed up to get Board off the ground and have been working on the idea since the start of the year.
The idea is simple; there is a small cover charge of £4 for 3 hours gaming and visitors can choose from the extensive library of games. Staff are on hand to help people understand the rules or adjudicate at the end of the game! There is also a small retail section for visitors to buy the games they’ve enjoyed playing.
There is a wide range of locally sourced teas and coffees, freshly made snacks and locally baked cakes and treats to enjoy while playing.
The concept behind Board was to run a fun, friendly venue for everyone. It isn’t just about die-hard gamers, but anyone who wants an escape from the everyday. There will be regular Social Gaming nights to encourage people to join in with others, become more social and encourage face to face interactions. There will also be age-friendly morning sessions to encourage older people who may be feeling isolated or lonely to socialise with their peers.
Discussions are already underway with the local Autism Inclusion Matters association to arrange regular sessions for their members.
For more information visit https://boardiow.co.uk/.
What a great idea. Looking forward to going for a game and a brew
I hope many people support this , as it is a very good thing . If it proves to be very successful, maybe more could be opened in other towns on the Island.