'Pure escapism' - We got a first look inside Greater Manchester village's new café with a difference

Outside The Box is on Woodford Road, Bramhall and is a paradise for gamers of all genres be they family-friendly, strategic or party-style games. 

The space was set up by board game enthusiasts Rachel Eade and Helen Entwistle, who bought the shop in May They both quit their full time jobs to pursue their passion for board games.

Rachel said: ”The thing I love about gaming is its pure escapism. When you play a board game, you get immersed in it, you don’t look at your phone, you just want to concentrate on the game. Board games are so interactive and that's why I love playing games, because of the human interaction element, getting to know people and making new friends.” 

On our visit we found the room spacious and bright, with its custom-made gaming tables for that extra added touch, with seating for up to 20 guests. Prices are reasonable, for an hour of board game time it is £2.50 per person. 

For now the walls are bare, however co-founder Helen will be painting murals to immerse gamers even more in the space, she has already added her creative touch in the bathroom by painting the tiles to look like a Scrabble board. Its small details like this which will set this place apart from most. 

The games are located just opposite the café counter, and there are plenty to choose from - it will be hard for people to find something they don’t enjoy here.

To keep you going for those long gaming sessions, there's a range of drinks and snacks you can order. They offer home-baked goods as well as savoury pies from Macclesfield-based Lord of the Pies.

To introduce the community to board games, Outside The Box will host weekly events which are free to play to encourage people to come along and play. On Wednesday 12pm-3pm will be their ‘Queue the Classics’ gaming session featuring well-known board games like Monopoly and Cluedo. Bi-weekly on Thursdays will be their ‘Pick and Mix’ social night made for meeting new people through party style board games. 

Fortnightly on Wednesdays will be their ‘We read the rules so you don’t have to’ sessions where members of staff will teach you how to play more complex and longer games, perfect if you’re looking for something more than snap or Scrabble.

“We’ve visited numerous board game cafes up and down the country and made a note of the best bits of those venues,” Rachel added. “We’ve then added some unique touches to our own space in the North West. We want every visit to Outside The Box to be a special experience. 

“Playing board games has so many benefits including socialising, escapism, reducing stress and cutting back on screen time. So, guests are encouraged to stay for as long as they like to relax, have fun, play board games and become part of our community.”