A newly opened board game cafe in Wiltshire has drawn crowds during a positive first week in business.
Game Knights opened at Sidmouth Street in Devizes on Sunday, September 22, and was already packed on opening night, according to co-owner Mary Hall.
Ms Hall and her partner Jamie Sythes unveiled the town’s newest venue after weeks of work with director Greg Dodds to get it ready for customers.
The team said they were thrilled with the initial response from the community.
Ms Hall said: “It went really well on Sunday and at one point I think we didn’t have a free table, so that response has been really nice.
READ MORE: New board game cafe preparing to open in Wiltshire town centre
“We’ve had lots of people come in either to play or for a piece of cake and a coffee, we’re really happy.
“Even on Facebook we’ve had such nice comments, everyone seems really happy with the idea which is what we wanted.”
The pair have previously said they are hoping to fill a gap in the market by giving Devizes residents somewhere to go outside of more traditional pubs, bars, and cafes.
Ms Hall believes the positive response they received has shown there is a demand for a venue offering “something for everyone” in the town.
She added: “As locals we know there’s not a lot of places like this in Wiltshire, we’re inclusive of everybody.
“It could be families, friends, or couples, we’re catering for everyone because board games are made for everybody and nobody should be excluded from places like this.
“Anyone can hire a table for an hour or a long evening, they can play some games they enjoy, learn a new one, or even start a new hobby like Warhammer, Lego, or magic.”
Ahead of opening, Mr Sythes said he wanted the business to offer a “nice social environment” for customers who wanted an alternative to pubs or regular cafes.
After weeks of renovations, the town centre unit has been filled with over 300 board games across two rooms, as well as a counter selling hot drinks and food.
Ms Hall said: “I think it looks really great considering what it was before, it was all a bit sad and clinical.
“Everybody seems really impressed with how it’s turned out, so it feels like our hard work has paid off.”
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