A NEW venture in Chard town centre is bringing together families and friends for a wide selection of tabletop games.

The Games Cupboard launched in Holyrood Street last month, and is being run by Colin Blackburn and Pedro Bento.

Colin said: “The idea to start up a game shop started a couple years ago, thinking it would cool to have somewhere to go to buy or rent and play all kinds of games, and it stayed as an idea floating about in the back of my head.

“When Pedro moved here it was clearly evident we were like minded in the gaming world and I ask him if he wanted to join me in opening a shop. He said ‘yes’ and The Games Cupboard was born.”

As well as having games for people to play in store, The Games Cupboard also stocks games for people to buy and rent.

“I love playing video games but I missed the old days when I used to sit down with my parents and sister to play family board games,” Colin added.

“So we do not sell video games or the consoles to play them on, we are aimed purely at table top games - from board games like Monopoly and Cluedo to card games like Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering, to war games like Warhammer 40K and Warcry, and everything in between.”

The library of rentable games are all donated, and the shop is still expanding its selection of games for sale.

Colin said: “You may think we’re crazy opening the shop amid a pandemic but since the idea started snowballing in February it was a now or never moment.

"We feel it was the right time to let people see and know there is a life after Covid-19.

“We aren’t the only new shop opening in Chard and a lot of shops that closed are revamping and reopening and it shows the great resilience and resolve of the Chard community spirit.”