I can just about remember the Buttermarket in its incarnation as a thriving indoor market; there was a sort of train set stall, if I remember right.
At some point in the 80s the market was closed and the building sold and renovated into an indoor shopping arcade on two levels. Trouble was the rents and rates were so high that nothing ever stayed open for long, the exception probably being Strays bookshop before that moved to its current location.
From then on, decline really set in, to the point when only about 3 of the premises were occupied.
Recently, the council bought the building back, and slashed the rents for 6 months to encourage pop up businesses and now virtually every unit is occupied with various little boutiques and craft shops.
Long term, how sustainable this will all be is all in the air, but here's hoping.
Anyway, the unit formerly occupied by Strays now has a little food quarter, in which the wonderfully named "Soup Dwagons" operate, among others. And at the back of this, is the gaming cafe.
Basically, it has hundreds of board games for you to play with your friends. I love boardgames, but given my lifestyle I don't really have anyone to play with. Luckily for the cafe, plenty of people do, and every table was occupied with folk playing games while I sat and had a cup of tea and read the magazines, in a delightfully geeky atmosphere.
The trick for me is to pluck up the courage to ask someone to show me how to play Carcassonne next time I go in.
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.03.19
Just do it. Every Thursday at one of our cafes, alcaholic provider, restaurant with rooms et al has a board games evening. Has become very successful. Good to see something not internet.
ReplyDeleteI never realised there were so many board games. They were rather spoiled for me by the inevitable family squabbles at Christmas, before we put the board games away for another year.
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant idea Si - out of the ashes so to speak. I wish more councils would try this - surely they could make as much money if all the units were filled at a lower rate than just a few at the high end. I do hope it all pays off - sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you pluck up the courage to ask someone - I appreciate how difficult it might be for you (I have experience in your field) but I am sure there will be folk out there willing to show you. From the photographs it looks really exciting.
Thank you all, it's a positive development
ReplyDeleteHum, board games, not for me.
ReplyDelete