A cafe and bar promising a first for Wiltshire will open in Chippenham town centre this week.
Bargammon’s Tavern, which will be both a cafe and bar where guests can enjoy their favourite board games, opens at 11am in Chippenham Market Place on Friday, May 12.
The venue is now ready for its grand opening with a new sign, and several gaming mascots in the window, welcoming visitors.
Inside, the formerly vacant property has been transformed into what resembles a medieval tavern, complete with old fashioned chairs, beams and portraits.
The inspiration for this theme came from the fact that the building was originally The King’s Head pub, according to Bargammons owner Melanie Yexley.
Against the walls are shelves full of games for customers to sift through, and Ms Yexley says over 300 are already on offer, with more set to be added every week.
Ahead of opening, she told this paper she was excited to offer a fun space for those who don’t enjoy clubs or pubs.
She said: “We’re very excited. Pubs and clubs are too loud for some people and there needs to be a space for them to go.
“There’s not much to do in Chippenham, so the response has been amazing because people finally have somewhere to go.
“We’ve had a massive response from families saying they’re excited for us to open.”
Ms Yexley claims Bargammons Tavern will be the first dedicated board game cafe and bar in Wiltshire, with their closest rivals located in Bath.
“We’ve had a look and we can’t find any other places dedicated to board games, so we’re the first ones in Wiltshire and we’re very excited about that”, she added.
Enthusiastic gamers will be pleased to find a huge variety of games at the tavern, which will grow every week.
This includes everything from packs of cards to long term games that can take up to 11 hours to complete.
There will also be a “games guru” on site to help out beginners or those looking to try new games.
Ms Yexley is hoping to serve a range of beers and wines in the future, although this will be subject to an alcohol licence being granted.
For now, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of teas, coffees and soft drinks.
People will be able to visit Bargammons without booking, however to guarantee a table they should secure one through the cafe’s website.
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