Southsea board game bar Dice reopens with queues down Albert Road and fully booked weekend ahead

AFTER a nightmare year, Southsea board game bar Dice has reopened – and close to a hundred regulars have been queuing up outside the Albert Road venue.
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Dice, which was set up in October 2018, has more than 1,000 board games on offer to buy and play, alongside its in-store bar and cafe.

But the business has been only able to offer rentals and click-and-collect purchases for the last five months due to the latest Covid-19 pandemic.

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Now Dice has reopened for visitors to play their favourite games in-store, following the reopening of its shop this Saturday which saw more than 80 regulars queue up along Albert Road.

Co-owner, Lee Purslow playing Warhammer 40,000 at Dice, Albert Road, Portsmouth
Picture: Habibur RahmanCo-owner, Lee Purslow playing Warhammer 40,000 at Dice, Albert Road, Portsmouth
Picture: Habibur Rahman
Co-owner, Lee Purslow playing Warhammer 40,000 at Dice, Albert Road, Portsmouth Picture: Habibur Rahman

And the board game bar is nearly fully booked for this coming Saturday, having taken more than 300 bookings for the day.

The strong interest means the business is now looking to restart expansion plans had been scuppered by the pandemic, according to co-owner Rikki Parsons.

The 34-year-old said: ‘Our best ever month was February 2020. That’s why closing hurt so much. We were going from strength to strength. In early 2020 we were looking at another site in Bournemouth.

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‘We will be looking at another site. We wouldn’t be looking at another site in Portsmouth with the same theme.’

Dice staff members, Joe Slyvester, Rikki Parsons and Lee Purslow 
Picture: Habibur RahmanDice staff members, Joe Slyvester, Rikki Parsons and Lee Purslow 
Picture: Habibur Rahman
Dice staff members, Joe Slyvester, Rikki Parsons and Lee Purslow Picture: Habibur Rahman
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The business’s bounceback comes after a ‘very concerning’ couple of months, with the shop £50,000 worse off due to the pandemic, according to Rikki.

He said: ‘We have had support in the £10,000 range. It’s definitely been less than we lost.

‘Every time we closed we were losing hundreds or thousands, having to throw away stock from the bar and pay bills while we were closed.’

More than 80 customers queued up outside the store this weekend as it held a sale before in-store service resumed on Monday. Picture: Rikki ParsonsMore than 80 customers queued up outside the store this weekend as it held a sale before in-store service resumed on Monday. Picture: Rikki Parsons
More than 80 customers queued up outside the store this weekend as it held a sale before in-store service resumed on Monday. Picture: Rikki Parsons
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The business owner says it is ‘fantastic’ to start welcoming back regulars, like Jess Biddulph and Stuart Casey.

The Whiteley-based pair had travelled to Southsea just to unwind with a board game in-store, having previously visited more than 20 times over the last three years.

Stuart said: ‘It’s worth it every time.’

Customers Jess Biddulph and Stuart Casey 
Picture: Habibur RahmanCustomers Jess Biddulph and Stuart Casey 
Picture: Habibur Rahman
Customers Jess Biddulph and Stuart Casey Picture: Habibur Rahman

Jess added: ‘We have been here so many times.

‘We used to go to a a board game store in Nottingham and it was great to find this place after we moved. I just love this place because it’s really friendly, it’s just really welcoming.

‘We have come back every time they have reopened.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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