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Ines Stuart-Davidson

Best board game finds from local shops

Board games to argue over this Christmas

Local shops and games cafés recommend their top games for entertaining the whole family this winter because it wouldn’t be Christmas without an argument over a board game, now would it? Let the games begin!

BARKING MAD BINGO

  • The Open Book bookshop, 10 King St, Richmond TW9 1ND

“I would recommend Dog Bingo (£19.99) as, of course, dogs are very popular in the local area! This game has two benefits – you get to play bingo, which is fun and fairly non-contentious, and learn dog breeds simultaneously. It’s a win-win! I say non-contentious, as I had to mediate a game of Pictionary once…” - Madeline at The Open Book bookshop

A TALE OF TREES

  • £14.99, available in-store at Kew Gardens’ gift shop or online at shop.kew.org

“There’s no better way to while away a cold December afternoon than making some hot chocolate, grabbing a mince pie (or two), and sitting down to play a game,” suggests Hannah Oxley, head of retail and ecommerce at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

“Beautiful, fun, and extremely competitive to play, the Match a Leaf – Tree Memory Game is incredibly informative. Beautifully illustrated, it has been created in collaboration with Kew’s tree experts – it’s unique and will test your tree knowledge using some of Kew’s 12,000 trees as inspiration!”

ALL ABOARD!

  • The Library Pot (86 Kew Rd, TW9 2PQ). To book a table, visit librarypot.uk.

“Our most popular board game is Ticket to Ride. Everyone starts as friends in this map-based game, but as the competition for routes heats up, your options start reducing… There are many different maps, although the original USA version has the easiest rules. There should be one in every home!” suggests Rob, co-founder of The Library Pot, a board game café and fully licensed restaurant in Richmond. 

“Dobble is great too. It’s like snap on steroids. It takes 30 seconds to learn, but you must rewire your brain a bit! The younger players tend to be better at this one...”

These games and over 700 more are available to play at The Library Pot (86 Kew Rd, TW9 2PQ). A session can last up to five hours and costs £5 per person with a minimum spend requirement of £15 per person.

IT’S QUIZZMAS!

  • You can find Presents in Barnes (22 Barnes High St, SW13 9LW)
  • East Sheen (379 Upper Richmond Rd W, SW14 7NX) 
  • presentslondon.com

“Doing one of our jigsaw puzzles (£15.99 each) is a fantastic way to spend quality time with family and challenge your problem-solving skills. You can choose a design that matches your interests, whether it's a beautiful landscape, a famous artwork, or a picture of your favourite city,” suggests Dharmesh, owner of Presents, one of London's leading independent gift shops filled with innovative, design-led stationery, cards, gifts, toys and more. 

“We also stock some great quizzes – wind down after a family meal with our ‘After Dinner Quiz’ (£9.99), which has over 140 unique question cards on various topics from literature and wine to philosophy and fast cars!” 

A REGENCY ROMP

“Do you know your Dashwoods from your Darcys? We are selling a Jane Austen trivia card game (£10), which is great fun. There are 52 illustrated trivia and game cards, each with a multiple-choice question, charade, game or challenge about Jane Austen and her beloved classics. The cards can be used to play various games so they’re versatile enough to please all the family. It makes a good stocking filler too!” Bryony and Bev at The Cobham Bookshop.

FUN FOR LITTLE ONES

“For children, we have quality wooden role-play sets and various learning games. Current bestsellers include Penguin Pairs (£7.99), a cute memory-matching game, and Monster Maths (£12.99) for little number whizzes. We also stock a wide range of beautiful jigsaws for all abilities to keep families busy over the chilly winter months.” 

A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

“For me, board games are a great excuse to spend a few hours in each other’s company away from mobile phones, television, and such devices! Our Christmas time has always meant sitting down and playing games - I love the laughter and chatter that goes with a good one,” says Mark Cox, head of retail at RHS Garden Wisley. 

“I highly recommend Host Your Own Family Escape Room - Museum Edition by Talking Tables (£28). It contains 18 puzzles that need to be completed to escape the museum against the clock. If you enjoy puzzle-solving and code-cracking, then this is a top game. You can play with up to 6 people.”

CROWD PLEASERS

“We love a board game all year round, but they are a particularly good way of getting everyone together at Christmas. They’re the perfect escape from reruns on the telly and unite all the generations of the family in a little healthy competition!” says Ali of Old London Road Café in Kingston, which hosts regular games nights. 

“Our regulars love some of the hilarious party games like Exploding Kittens and Cards Against Humanity - they’re an absolute blast with friends and a few drinks, but probably not one to play with grandma! Classics like Battleships and Scrabble are always popular with families and maybe the new Fortnite-themed Monopoly might just be the thing that finally gets the teenagers off the Xbox! Whatever gets your dice rolling and competitive juices flowing this festive period, remember - board games are for life, not just for Christmas!” 

OLR Café is an independent café that offers fresh food to eat in or takeaway and a good choice of board games. It’s open seven days a week 8 am - 8 pm (Sundays 10 am - 4 pm).

A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC, BUT MAKE IT LOCAL

Forget Bond Street and Piccadilly, Monopoly has come to the borough! The Richmond Upon Thames version of the great property trading board game features plenty of familiar sights - journey around the board and tour Twickenham Stadium before a spot of lunch nearby on Church Street; take in Turner’s View and explore Eel Pie Island before photographing the deer in Richmond Park. Will you visit Ham House, watch the Great River Race, or go to Jail for littering? There's a Guildford version too!

Roll the dice and find out! £34.99 from good local toy shops or online at winningmoves.co.uk

FOODIE FAMILY FUN

“I believe that board games can bring people together, and there’s no better time to play them than at Christmas. Sushi Go Party! is a great option for families – it’s a fast-playing card game for 2-8 players where the goal is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes. It’s easy to learn, quick to play and engaging for all ages,” says Kieran Adams, manager of Camberley’s ingeniously named games café, Of Dice & Men.

“For children I’d suggest Suspend, which gives 1-4 people the challenge of trying to get rid of all the notched wire pieces in their supply by adding them to an unbalanced structure without knocking anything down. It’s fun to play and very easy to learn. A must for anyone that enjoys games like Jenga!’ 

With a library of over 700 games, including board games, trading card games, and role-playing games, Of Dice and Men is an independent family-fun café that hosts regular events, such as a weekly social evening where anyone is welcome to turn up, meet new people and play. 

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