I visited the new board game café in Cleethorpes for somewhere 'a bit different' and would definitely recommend it

-Credit: (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
-Credit: (Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)


If you live in North East Lincolnshire and are looking for something fun to do that's a bit different - I've got just the place.

Situated within the Meridian Retail Park in Cleethorpes, Roll the Dice Café opened its doors to members of the public at the end of July following an extensive refurbishment of the building.

Providing possibly every board game under the sun, the café is a unique place to visit for a range of occasions, whether you're having a day out with the kids, a get-together with friends or a date night with your other half. It costs £2 per hour to play board games and provides food and refreshments.

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Speaking previously to Grimsby Live, owner Michelle Andrews said: "I think since lockdown, board games have become more popular because people were spending time at home together and needed things to do.

"There's something for everybody. I've got retro games from when we were growing up, like Kerplunk and Buckaroo, all the way up to games that are only just coming out.

The outside of Roll the Dice -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive
The outside of Roll the Dice -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive

"Some of the new ones are really expensive but people have asked for them. There's plenty of Monopoly games, chess, and card games for people who don't want to play board games."

Looking for something a bit different to do before going out on a Friday night - me and my partner decided to go down and give the place a try.

We arrived at around 6pm, and walking in, I was instantly struck with how bright and colourful the café is. It's clear that so much work went into creating it and putting it all together. Brightly-coloured chairs and tables fill the main space, with a bar area in the corner offering an array of sweet treats and drinks options, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Across from the bar is a huge shelf area stacked full of board games, from classic favourites like Scrabble, Monopoly, Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit, to more modern options that I'd never even heard of. There's also a section nearby featuring hilarious card games like Cards Against Humanity and What Do You Meme.

It has an impressive library of board games -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive
It has an impressive library of board games -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive

It's pretty fair to say that no matter your age, tastes or preferences, you're almost guaranteed to find a game here you'll enjoy playing - even if you've never really been a big board game fan.

I must admit, we do have a bit of a competitive streak between us when it comes to Scrabble and keep score (sadly, I'm currently losing), so after ordering our drinks and choosing a table, we had a game of that first. Embarrassingly, I lost by quite a lot.

We do love a good quiz, so we figured we'd choose a trivia-themed board game to play next. We wanted to play one we've never played before, so we chose Smart Ass - a very aptly-named game that features an ass (the animal, that is) as its mascot.

The game features four lots of card types, and on the back of each one are a set of clues The Who Am I cards relate to a well-known person or celebrity, the What Am I cards relate to things and objects, the Where Am I cards relate to places, and the Hard Ass questions are the tricky ones.

A selection of funny card games are also available -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive
A selection of funny card games are also available -Credit:Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive

Based on the colour you roll on the coloured dice, the other player asks you the questions on the card with the corresponding colour. If you guess what/who/where it is based on the clues given, you get to roll the numbered dice and move further along the board.

It was such a fun game and I'd definitely recommend it for anyone who loves a bit of trivia.

Whether you're an avid board game fan or have never really played, this one-of-a-kind café that's the first of its kind in Cleethorpes is a fun place to visit to try something a bit different, and really does have something for everyone to enjoy.

Roll the Dice Café's opening times are as follows:

  • Tue 9am -10pm

  • Wed 9am-9pm

  • Thur 9am -9pm

  • Fri 9am -9pm

  • Sat 9am -11pm

  • Sun 9am -11pm