BADGER BADGER

We do some set building at Deptford’s Badger Badger

Tell us a little bit about how the store got started?

We created Badger Badger to serve the London gaming community as a hybrid of a board game café and a pub. As both avid gamers and experienced pub managers, we were eager to make a space that everyone could enjoy, from casual players to hardcore gamers. In doing this we’ve put together a diverse library of classic and cutting edge games to play, a passionate and knowledgeable team on hand to help as well as a cosy space to meet at and try them out without the pressure of having to buy the games yourself. Deptford has excellent transport links and is a hub for young, creative people so it was the perfect place to start our passion project.

What’s it like being a FLGS in your area?

Totally brilliant! Deptford has a vibrant and welcoming community who are kind, diverse and engaged with their neighbourhood. There are so many outstanding independent restaurants, shops to visit and local happenings to get involved with – a tabletop gaming spot was an obvious fit for such a well serviced area. The welcome has been warm, to say the least.

What do you think makes your store unique?

Our service and environment are what makes us special. We adore tabletop games, but the hobby can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

The selection of great games to play is already massive and with so many exciting things coming out all the time, folks often don’t have the time or budget to keep up. We have an extraordinarily switched on team of game enthusiasts ready to help you navigate the library based on what you like, make recommendations and even teach the simple games for you to play there and then. You can enjoy all of this and more in a comfortable pub environment with a massive, well curated drinks selection and a gorgeous Japanese street food menu. As the cherry on top, we are open day and night, seven days a week!

What events do you run for the local gaming scene?

We have weekly socials, Magic: The Gathering nights and Roleplaying Sessions, as well as game design events, mixer evenings for the Queer community and other special seasonal events. Our latest addition is weekly hardcore gaming nights every Sunday where the keenest gamers can go deep on some of the tougher games with like minded enthusiasts.

What’s been your favourite part of running the store so far?

We have the rare privilege of watching the gaming community grow in front of us. Our customers are friends. Seeing them share their delight in gaming and make new connections in the process is deeply rewarding. Some of them have even inadvertently found partners at our events.

What are your plans for the future?

Always more and better games of course. We’ve got Blood on the Clocktower evenings in the pipeline, as well as party game competitions, miniatures painting sessions and Bloodbowl tournaments. Targeted community events such as LGBTQ+ rpg nights and free after school gaming sessions for underprivileged young adults are also a high priority. Finally, we are teaming up with local publishers and designers to showcase the South East London game design scene. We hope to see you down here for a game.