Board on the Waterside
ENTRY
from £2
WHERE
Southampton
What it’s like
Hire a table and work through a stack of board games, or book the themed room for a storytelling session with a projector.
The basic idea here is simple: you pay for table time, not per game, and then you settle in with whatever's on the shelves. Three hours is £6 a head, six hours is £10, and if you're really committed a nine-hour block is £15, which works out as one of the cheaper ways to fill a rainy Saturday.
The Raven Water room is the bit that lifts this above a normal games café. It's themed, with a projector for storytelling, so it suits a group who want to turn a games night into something closer to an event rather than just sitting round a table. There's also a painting studio if your group fancies painting miniatures instead, at £2 an hour if you bring your own paints or £5 an hour to use the shop's.
For teenagers there are Young Persons one-shot D&D sessions aimed at 12 to 17 year olds, a decent way in for a kid who's curious about tabletop roleplay but doesn't have a group of their own yet. Booking is required across the board, which is a bit of a faff if you're the type who likes to decide on the day, but it does mean you're not turning up to find every table full.
Opening hours stretch from midday through to 9pm on weekdays, with an earlier 9am start on Saturdays for anyone wanting a full day at the tables. The tables and the Raven Water room can both be hired for parties in the same 1 to 9 hour blocks, so a birthday party works on the same pricing as a regular visit.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Teens and adults; the 12-17 D&D one-shots are the way in for younger players
- Parties
- Tables and themed Raven Water room available for hire in 1-9 hour blocks, £6-£15 per person
- Pricing is per person for table time, not per game, so bring a big enough group to make the hours worthwhile
- The painting studio charges less if you bring your own paints
- Saturday is the only day with a 9am start, useful for a full day session
- Young Persons D&D one-shots are aimed specifically at 12 to 17 year olds
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Table hire is £6 a person for up to three hours, £10 for up to six, or £15 for up to nine. The painting studio is £2 an hour with your own paints or £5 an hour using theirs.
Do we need to book?
Booking is required, so this isn't a turn-up-and-see spot.
What are the opening hours?
Midday to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm on Saturday, and 11am to 9pm on Sunday.
Is this suitable for teenagers?
There are Young Persons one-shot D&D sessions for ages 12 to 17, run as a way into tabletop roleplay.
Can you have a birthday party here?
Yes, both the tables and the themed Raven Water room can be hired for parties in the same 1 to 9 hour blocks as regular visits, priced at £6 to £15 per person.
What is the Raven Water room?
It's a themed room with a projector, set up for storytelling sessions rather than just table games.
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