This page was compiled from the uk.games.board FAQ. The newsgroup and FAQ fell into disuse, so the BoardGameGeek wiki is a more suitable place for this data.
This is intended to be a neutral document, listing various shops and so on alphabetically without regard to size or other features. Appearance in this list is not intended to give any sort of recommendation, except for the major non-UK entries.
A shorter link for this page is at http://snipr.com/ukfaq.
Games Shops
These shops generally also sell online, if a web site is given, and by mail order.
Aldershot, Surrey
The Games Shop (Esdevium Games)
6 Wellington Street, GU11 1DZ
01252 311443
Altrincham, Cheshire
The Gaming Crypt
44 Greenwood Street, WA14 1RZ
0161 929 9919
Bangor, County Down
Replay Games
97 High Street, BT20 5BD
02891 452210
Birmingham, West Midlands
Dungeon & Starship - No longer in business.
1 Suffolk Street, Queensway, B1 1LT
0121 643 6008
Wayland's Forge
37 Auchinleck Square, Fiveways Shopping Centre, B15 1DU
0121 6870105 (Fax 0121 687106)
games@waylandsforge.co.uk
Bristol, Avon
Area 51
230 Gloucester Road, BS7 8NZ
0117 9244655
area51.online@virgin.net
Travelling Man
8 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5NF
0117 9258833
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire
Spirit Games
98 Station Street, DE14 1BT
01283 511293 (also Fax)
salnphil@spiritgames.co.uk
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
The Magic Joke Shop
29 Bridge Street, CB2 1UJ
01223 353003
Canterbury, Kent
Westgate Games
20 The Borough, CT1 2DR
01227 457257
westgategames@hotmail.com
Cardiff
Cardiff Games
8 Duke St Arcade
029 2034 3818
Colchester, Essex
Lingards Games
24 Sir Isaac's Walk, CO1 1JJ
01206 574781
Coventry, West Midlands
Bishop Games
32 City Arcade, CV1 3HW
024 76634999 (Fax 024 76634555)
sales@bishopgames.co.uk
Darlington, Northumbria
Northumbria Games
10 Houndgate Mews, Blackwellgate Arcade
01325 366250
Dundee
Highlander Games
98 Annfield Road, DD1 5JH
01382 666315
Edinburgh
Black Lion Games
90 Buccleuch St, EH8 9NH
0131 6672128
office@black-lion.demon.co.uk
Exeter, Devon
Clifton Road Games
16 Clifton Road, EX1 2BR
01392 259988 (also Fax)
mail@cliftonroadgames.co.uk
Exmouth, Devon
Gamezone Models
32 Rolle Street, EX8 2SH
01395 267733 (Fax 01395 856892)
Eynesbury, St. Neots, Cambridgeshire
Gamers
34 St. Mary's Street, PE19 2TA
01480 217443 (Fax 01480 370088)
info@gamers.uk.net
Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
Mind Games
7 Roman Forum, Metro Centre, NE10 0XX
0191 4603604 (also Fax)
mind-games@lineone.net
Glasgow, Strathclyde
The Dragon & George
39 Parnie Street, G1 1RJ
0141 6373082
Static Games
39 King street, G1 5RA
0141 552 9785
Guildford, Surrey
Guildford Comics & Games
64B Chertsey Street
01483 304781
guildford.comics@btclick.com
Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Enigma Games
16 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF
01497 821764
jane@enigmagames.co.uk
Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Games Web
9 Bondgate, YO62 5BW
01439 770200 (Fax 01439 770558)
warlock@games-web.co.uk
Hockley, Essex
Hobbiton
4 Main Road, SS5 4QS
01702 200180
sales@hobbiton-uk.co.uk
Lancaster, Lancashire
Interstellar Master Traders
33 North Road, LA1 1NS
0775 2018532 or 01524 382181
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Travelling Man
7-9 Corn Exchange, LS1 7BR
0113 2427227
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
The Games Store
Store: 1 The Mall, 257 High St., Lincoln, LN2 1HX
01522 546 611
Mail Order: 1 Lyndon Park, Farrier Road, LN6 3RU
01522 695 752 (Fax 01522 692689)
audrey@tgs.co.uk
Liverpool, Merseyside
Gamescraft
56-60 Parr Street, L1 4JN
0151 7076262 (Fax 0151 7086622)
info@ralparthaeurope.co.uk
London
Compendia
10 The Market, Greenwich, SE10
020 82936616 (Fax: 020 83051900)
rob@compendia.co.uk
Hamleys
188-196 Regent Street, W1
Tube: Oxford Circus
0870 3332455
Leisure Games
100 Ballards Lane, Finchley, N3 2DN
Tube: Finchley Central
020 83462327 (Fax 020 83433888)
shop@leisuregames.com
Orc's Nest
6 Earlham Street, WC2H 9RY.
Tube: Leicester Square
020 7379 4254
Pandemonium
125 Sheen Lane, Mortlake, London, SW14 8AE
Train: Mortlake
020 8878 0866
Playin' Games
33 Museum Street
Tube: Holborn or Tottenham Court Road
020 73233080
Village Games
65 The West Yard, Camden Lock, NW1 8AF
Tube: Camden Town
020 74850653
sales@villagegames.compulink.co.uk
Manchester
Fanboy3
17 Newton Street, M1 1FZ
0161 247 7735
Travelling Man
4-4a Dale Street, M1 1JW
0161 237 1877
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Wargames Emporium
10 Handley Arcade, Leeming Street, NG18 1NQ
01623 640022
Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Psisoft Games
Glenholm George St, GL6 0AG
0870 2427428
cardsale@psi-soft.co.uk
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Travelling Man
43 Grainger Street, NE1 5JE
0191 2614993
Forbidden Planet
59 Grainger Street, NE1 5JE
0191 2619173
Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire
The Board Game Company
10 Tickford Arcade, St. John Street, MK16 8HY
01908 611894
info@boardgamecompany.co.uk
Norwich, Norfolk
Lingards Games
1 Swan Lane, NR2 1HZ
01603 660350
The Games Room
29a Elm Hill, NR3 1HG
01603 628140
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Travelling Man
205 Drury Walk, Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, NG1 7LR
0115 9506289
Oxford, Oxfordshire
The Gamekeeper
105 Cowley Road, OX4 1HU
01865 721348 (Fax 0870 0521683)
Carol@gameskeeper.demon.co.uk
http://www.hoylesonline.com/
Hoyle's
72 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BA
01865 203244 (Fax 01280 700792)
Reading, Berkshire
eclectic games
Thames Tower, 37-45 Station Road, Reading, RG1 1LX
0118 959 8250
shop@eclecticgames.co.uk
Richmond, Surrey
They Walk Among Us
26 Red Lion Street
Richmond upon Thames
Surrey, TW9 1RW
0208 948 8476
Southsea, Hampshire
Southsea Models & Games
69 Albert Road
Southsea
Hants, PO5 2SG
0239 273 3208
info@roleplaymerchant.com
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Wargames Emporium
Craft Workshop 8, Orchard Square, S1 2FB
0114 2754826
Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire
Shire Games
15 Hope Street, Hanley, ST1 5BT
01782 287270 (Fax 01782 285741)
Somerset
http://www.hoylesonline.com/
Hoyle's
13, Northumberland Place, Bath, Avon BA1 5AR
Tel: 01225 445970
Swindon, Wiltshire
Spot-On Models & Games
49 Fleet Street, SN1 1RE
01793 617302 (also Fax)
shop@spotonmodels.co.uk
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
The Secret Games Shop, 13 The Pantiles, TN2 5TN.
01892 515483
Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Role'n'Play
21 Broad Street, WV1 1HZ
01902 310027
orders@role-n-play.fslife.co.uk
York, West Yorkshire
Compendium of York
8 Goodramgate
01904 610539 (also Fax)
compendium.info@virgin.net
Travelling Man
54 Goodramgate, YO1 7LF
01904 628787
Online and Mail Order Vendors
This section covers games sellers without a shop to visit.
For second hand, collectable or antique games, apart from the obvious, the following sites specialise in this area:
Wholesalers
Other Web Sites and Mailing Lists
The following web sites are UK based:
Individual Sites:
The following UK specific board games related mailing lists exist:
Game Publishers
Magazines
Counter
Edited by Stuart Dagger.
4 issues per year, A5 format, latest issue 84 pp.
Subscriptions (£12 p.a., also available outside UK)
Alan.How@which.net
Index at http://www.pacificcoast.net/~greg.
Flagship
Edited by Carol Mulholland
6 issues per year. Subscriptions £22 p.a.
Games Gazette
Edited by Chris Baylis
67 Mynchens Lee Chapel, North Basildon, Essex, SS15 5EG
6 issues per year. Subscriptions £9 p.a. (also available outside UK)
Sumo (formerly Sumo's Karaoke Club)
Edited and published by Mike Siggins.
Ceased publication in 1998. Sumo is indexed at http://www.pacificcoast.net/~greg
Clubs
Listings
Specific Clubs
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
The Aylesbury group meets every Wednesday from 7pm to 11pm at Haydon Hill Community Centre, Dickens Way, Aylesbury, HP19 8SR. We play mainly Euro style games, with the odd board wargame. For more information contact Richard Tyson.
Bangor, County Down
Board Gamers Anonymous
Every other Saturday at Replay, 97 High Street, BT20 5BD. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Play exclusively German-style board and card games.
Birmingham, West Midlands
October Wargames Association
Tuesday evening at the Ladywood Social Club, Ladywood Middleway, Ladywood, Birmingham, 6.30-11 p.m.
We play boardgames (mainly eurostyle games), miniature wargames and roleplaying games.
Contact r.denning@btinternet.com or else best just to come along.
Blackpool, Lancashire
Blackpool Boardgaming Group
http://www.blackpool.zonzab.co.uk/index.html
Meet on Monday, Tuesday and on a Friday (usually with a drink). Please see link above for full details, all welcome.
Bolton, Lancashire
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/guild/184
A small but enthusiastic group who meet every Thursday at the Doffcocker Inn. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. We play a wide variety of games. Click on the link above for contact details and to see what we have been playing.
Brighton, West Sussex
Brighton Boardgames Club
National Association Of Railway Clubs, 4 Belmont, Brighton.
We are a small group of enthusiastic gamers who meet once a week on Tuesday (usually) at 7.15 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. to play multi-player strategic board games (but generally not war games).
Bristol, South West
Informal get together of Bristol based board gamers, varies in size from small (2 of us) to bigger (5 of us), can accommodate 7 (at a push), play many different titles from Carcassonne, Nexus Ops, Citadel of Chaos to anything really.
We meet weekly on Friday's, contact Clive for more information clive@chumley.co.uk
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire
Burton Gamers
Wednesday evening at the shop on Station Street, 8-11 p.m.
Thursday evening at the Prince Alfred, Derby Road, 8-11 p.m (though I'm not sure that Thursdays are still running).
Saturday events started at the end of 2006 - contact the shop for more info.
Best to contact Phil at Spirit Games to let us know you're coming, as occasionally sessions get cancelled at short notice.
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
University Centre, Granta Place
First Saturday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. Free, but all refreshments must be bought on-site.
Canterbury, Kent
Canterbury Games Club
Meets in The Phoenix pub (on the Old Dover Road, not far from the cricket ground) at 8 p.m. every Monday (except Bank Holidays).
Chelmsford, Essex
Chelmsford Games Club
2nd, 4th and 5th Tuesdays of the month, The Queen's Head, Lower Anchor Street, Chelmsford, start by 8.00 p.m., finish at closing time. FREE.
chris@mnemosyne.demon.co.uk
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth Imperial Wargames Society
Every Monday night, 7.30 - 11 p.m.
Holly Tree Public House, Exmouth
Primarily wargames but card/role/boardgames also played.
j_ewins@yahoo.com
Frome, Somerset
Wassail Games Club
Every Thursday night, 7 - 11 p.m.
Frome Rugby Club, Frome
We play all sorts of Games; from light card games to heavy board games. We play mostly German and European Games as well as old favourites. Some also play a few miniature based games. Bring along a game or two or try games brought by others.
mailto:Sandman1973+Wassail@gmail.com
Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Boardgaming Glasgow
Every Wednesday night, 7 - 11 p. m.
Various West End locations (please contact us through the guild link for details)
We are a group who play board games in the west end of Glasgow. We mostly play the so called eurogames like The Settlers of Catan, Ra, El Grande, Coloretto and the like. A lot of other board and card games get played from war games to cooperative games to trick taking games. We are currently meeting on wednesday nights in peoples' flats in the west end.
Halesowen, West Midlands
Halesowen Boardgamers
We play board games and card games and meet at Halesowen Conservative Club, in the town centre on the A458, on most Wednesday evenings from 7.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. We charge a £1 weekly fee to cover the cost of room hire, but the first visit is free.
Contacts:Phone Dave on 01384 825022 or send geekmail to DaveD.
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Hemel Hempstead Games Club
Meets every Tuesday evening in the Old Town Hall in Hemel Hempstead. People arrive between 7:30pm and 8:00pm with boardgames starting at 8:00pm and finishing at 11:00pm. There is a £2 charge to cover the cost of the room with the first week free. Surplus money is used for the bi-annual raffle.
The club also features weekly Magic: The Gathering drafts.
Lancaster, Lancashire
Parallels
Tuesday nights from 7:30 p.m. Upstairs at the Farmer's Arms, Penny Street. Long-running role-playing games, with plenty of room for boardgamers, who should bring games they wish to play.
No alcohol is served in the room.
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln Boardgames Group
Every Tuesday evening from 7:30pm. We meet at the Share the Care meeting room on Orchard Street, Lincoln. There is a £1 donation per meeting to the Share the Care charity. We each bring a selection of games to play and always ensure there are some available for newer players.
Liverpool, Merseyside
Liverpool Lion Boardgamers
Monday Evenings, 18.30 - 23.00, The Lion Tavern, Liverpool City Centre.
If you intend to arrive after 7.30 PM it's best to let us know so you don't spend 2 hours waiting for one of the games to finish. The games we play are usually decided on the night, we bring a selection of games each week, but feel free to bring your own games to play.
The Lion Tavern is on Tithebarn Street, opposite Moorfields station (Wirral and Northern lines), 5 minutes walk from Lime Street station. For the sat.nav. users the postcode is L2 2BP.
Liverpool Wargames Association
Thursday evenings, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. Off Dale Street not far from Moorfields station.
The LWA is mainly miniature wargame and RPG focussed, but a lot of members play board games very regularly. The games tend to be the heavier/conflict end of the spectrum such as Twilight Imperium, Civ, Liberte, 7 Ages, etc. along with pure war boardgames such as World in Flames, ASL, Hitler's War, etc. They have their own premises so leaving games set up for campaigns is possible.
The LWA uses a membership system to pay for the premises but the first few visits are free.
You are advised to contact webmaster@lwaonline.org.uk and get on the mailing list to organise a day to come down (and to get directions to the well hidden premises). Everyone is very friendly but many weekends people are busy with pre-planned games.
London
Finchley Games Club
Thursday evenings, 18:45 - 22:45. Old Finchleians Sports Club,
Southover, Woodside Park, N12.
Bush Bash
Tuesdays 7pm and Sundays 1pm to late
Basement, 67 Lakeside Road, Shepherds Bush, London, W14 0DZ
Shepherd's Bush (Central line) or Goldhawk Road or Hammersmith Broadway tube stations
The Games Club
Every Monday & Tuesday at South Bank University Student Union, Keyworth Street, Elephant & Castle, London SE1. From 5:30 pm-11 pm. Entry is currently £1, membership is free.
GLC Games Club
Monday (Bank holidays excepted) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Central London.
Contact Les Ames (01483 302423) or Chris Jarvis (0181 9431332). Email arthur@howlin.net.
Swiggers Games Club
Swiggers is a board games club that meets every Wednesday evening (as it has done for over 25 years!) in central London. Our current venue is upstairs at The Shipwright's Arms, 88 Tooley Street, London SE1 (a couple of minutes' walk from London Bridge stations). See our website for more details.
London Board Games Club
We meet about every second or third Sunday in Ealing. We start at 2.30 and finish around 7.30, so that players can still go off to an evening commitment afterwards. For variety, we also meet up on occasional Wednesday or Thursday evenings on an ad hoc basis, Interested? Email me bobroscow@gmail.com
London On Board
We're a light hearted group meeting alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and occasional weekends. Special games nights dedicated to a single (big) game pop up from time to time as well. Starting at 18.00 (14.00 on the weekends), until we get thrown out or everybody has left. We meet in the Red Herring near St Paul's cath. For more details, see the website or mail me.
The Hat and Feathers
Every Saturday from 12pm.
2 Clerkenwell Rd, London, EC1M 5QP
London ASL
Monthly on the second Saturday of each month.
Near Chancery Lane. Send your name and contact details to brendan@doubleone-online.net at least 48 hours beforehand. Precise venue details will be sent to you.
Manchester
Fanboy3
Sundays from 7pm
At Fanboy3 on Newton Street, Manchester
Manchester Pacru Club
Parrs Wood Pub, Junction of Parrs Wood Road and School Lane, Didsbury
6.30 p.m. Mondays. Currently we only play Pacru, Shacru and other games developed for the Pacru board. Beginners very welcome.
Man O War Games Club
Every Saturday at the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, off Cross Street, Manchester
Meetings are free but only open to people aged 18 or over.
Manchester Board (War)Gamers
1st and 3rd Saturdays 12 noon to 6 pm
Sea Scouts Hut, near Peak Forest Canal Bridge, Romiley, Cheshire
Variable Magers (The Knights Who Say Nimmt!)
Tuesday night till late
South Manchester, though exact location and start time varies.
Register on our forum, or contact Grimwold for details.
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Milton Keynes Games Club
Now re-located to Leighton Buzzard: Linslade Parish Hall, Wellington Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Beds. We usually meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month, from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, to play boardames of all kinds.
Norwich, Norfolk
Norwich Board Gamers
Every Tuesday night 7.15pm - 11pm
Downstairs in the Ribs of Beef, Wensum Street, Norwich.
For more information e-mail norwichboardgamers@yahoo.co.uk
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Oxford University Board Game Society
Every Thursday at 7:30 pm in the Denys Wilkinson Building.
We also meet many Sundays, as announced on our mailing list. To be added to the mailing list, or for any other queries, please e-mail board [AT] herald.ox.ac.uk.
Also open to non-university members.
Peterborough
Posh Games
Second Saturday of each month, 1.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Also frequent weekday pub meets, and other individual games sessions by arrangements.
See website for details of current calendar and venues.
Reading
Eclectic Games
Monday and Friday evenings from 6.30pm to 11pm at the Eclectic Games shop.
Also Tuesdays for minis and Wednesdays for Magic.
Sheffield
http://wargamesemporium.co.uk/forum/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=46
The Sheffield Board Games club meets every Tuesday at Darnall Liberal Club, Irving Street, Darnall, Sheffield. S9 4RF.
There is a £1 on the night fee for playing which goes to purchasing more games for the club library.
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Shrewsbury Boardgames Club
Meets every Friday between 7.00 and 10.30 p.m. at members' houses. We normally focus on modern European games that have plenty of strategy, can be played in a couple of hours and are, most of all, fun. New players are always welcome.
Email Garry for directions, fuller details about the club, the games we play and so on.
Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire
Shire Gamers
Monday Nights (from 6.00pm) at The Famous Lion, Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent.
Thursday Nights (from 6.30 p.m.) at Shire Games (see Shops section above).
Upminster, Essex
1st & 3rd Thursday of every month at Cranham Community Centre (Room 5), 115a Marlborough Gardens, Upminster, Essex. Starting at 7.30pm. We'll have a go at most games. E-mail contact philipandkim@btinternet.com.
York
Beyond Monopoly! email bmyork@gmail.com for more details
1st and 3rd Saturdays each month at the Railway Institute (RI), Queen Street, York, just metres from the railway station.
10am to 6pm come and go as you like, first visit is FREE, otherwise £3 adults, £2 concessions, £1 kids 8-12 (must be accompanied by an adult). Sorry, no disabled access. We are a very friendly club, no previous experience necessary. We have a large collection of modern games at the club.
Conventions
The UK Conventions scene has it's own fanzine - The Queen's Lane Advertiser.
StabCon
4th to 6th July 2008
Britannia Hotel, Stockport (near Manchester)
Runs twice yearly (January and July)
bookings@stabcon.org.uk
Manorcon
25th to 28th July 2008
Stamford Hall, University of Leicester
Gen Con UK
28th to 31st August 2008
University of Reading
TringCon XVII
4th October 2008
Marsworth Village Hall, Marsworth
MidCon
14th to 16th November 2008
Thistle Hotel, Birmingham
Consequences B
20th to 23rd November 2008
Christchurch, Dorset
SoRCon2
Son of RamsdenCon
27th February to 1st March 2009
Ramada Hotel, Colchester
UK Games Expo
Wiki:UK Games Expo
30th to 31st May 2009
Clarendon Suites, Hagley Road, Birmingham
The following events have been held before but there is no current information for them.
One international event is worth a particular mention:
Essen
Messe Gruga, Essen, Germany
Credits
Christopher Dearlove - updated the FAQ enormously. This FAQ was mostly his work.
Paul Mazumdar - creator of the first FAQ.
