Chance & Counters: I went to a board game cafe to see if they can compete with the rise of state-of-the-art gaming bars
Leeds may be the fastest-growing city in the UK, with a booming digital sector and immersive entertainment is a core part of that.
There’s now a range of extended technology games, bars, and experiences on offer, such as those offering electronic shuffleboards, AR darts, and VR headset experiences.
Despite being tempted by AR axe-throwing and state-of-the-art karaoke booths, our reporter Sophie Mei Lan decided to try out popular board games cafe Chance & Counters on Merrion Street.
I no longer drink alcohol or go on nights ‘out out,’ which cancels me out of many social engagements.
That was until I discovered gaming bars, which may be the answer to people like me socialising again. The only issue with some of these high-tech gaming bars is that they’re not the most relaxing of environments, with bright flashing lights and loud noises, it is sensory overload.
I wanted to discover if board game cafes could be the perfect solution for me, although Geek Retreat in Wakefield and Leeds, which I’ve previously visited, have both since closed.
Board game cafe Chance & Counters is open until midnight, and it's thriving in Leeds City Centre. It’s hidden on Merrion St opposite the Roxy Ballroom.
The warm glow of the place as we entered up a small staircase felt like we were going to a friend's dinner party.
We were warmly greeted and shown to our reserved table, which was in a booth upstairs.
Most of the place looked fully booked, which was great to see compared to many of the empty bars we had walked past en route.
It’s £3.50 per hour per person for your table booking, including games during peak hours or £2.50 off peak. For food and drink, it’s table service, and you pay your total bill at the end.
A friendly waitress explained that we could choose as many games to play as we wanted from their library of over 500 board games.
She kindly gave us some tips because we were evidently not board game aficionados like many other customers seemed to be.
We let the waitress choose a board game for us while we perused the extensive menu. There’s a range of food on offer, such as burgers, wings, and tacos on offer.
We ordered food including loaded fries and cauliflower wings accompanied by milkshakes and coffee. Portions were huge and colourful, with the cauliflower wings proving a little too tasty considering everything is deep-fried. The food filled the table so much that we had to be careful that we didn’t drop our dice into the dips.
While we struggled to get to grips with and concentrate on even the simplest of games, the variety of games remained a conversation point, away from the seriousness of the outside world.
It’s believed the oldest board game is Senet, dating back 5,000 years in Ancient Egypt, which was a way of religious and spiritual connection with the afterlife. As board games have evolved, they have been a key part of communication and are a vital pastime for many people worldwide.
Chance & Counters felt like such an inclusive, safe, and friendly place to spend the evening out with friends while eating nice street food and sipping on a milkshake.