We're open. Again again.

July 07, 2020

I think this is reopening number 4. Serves us right for being a hybrid online store, off-licence, takeaway cafe, high street retail, and now, finally, we hope, Board Game Cafe again.

The exciting bit first: we are going to be opening tomorrow, Wednesday 8th of July for three days (So Thursday and Friday as well). We are then going to stop to take stock over the weekend, and make sure our measures are working and workable. Assuming they are, we will then reopen on Tuesday 14th July permanently (Again, we hope. Uncertain times).

And, yes, things will be a little bit different. Let's start with the New Normal Standard stuff;

  • We have cut our internal capacity by 50% or so.
  • Our tables are socially distanced (2m or 1m back to back)
  • We encourage but will not compel masks if not actively eating and drinking
  • Hand sanitiser at the door and throughout the cafe (including outside the toilets)
  • You will be required to provide contact details which we can send to NHS in case of a Covid outbreak
  • We will no longer take cash, and prefer contactless where possible
  • You can now order food and drink from our website at https://www.theludoquist.com/pages/menu or from table service, but not from the bar
  • Our menus have changed a little bit
  • Even more staff handwashing

So, essentially everything every other hospitatity venue is, or should be, doing. But there is stuff that makes us different, and we have had to address that as well.

  • Bookings can only be for a maximum of three hours. This is for two reasons. First,  Coronavirus likes people hanging around. Secondly, we have to turn tables to survive with fewer possible customers.
  • You will not be able to browse our games library at the shelves. We are working to get in on-line, and will do so soon, but otherwise you will need to ask our colleagues to bring games to you. This is to prevent customers interacting between tables more than is suggested.
  • The majority of our games will only be able to be played once before going into quarantine. This will be for 48 hours. We're not happy about this; but the world is what it is. We have been stocking up on multiple copies of our most played games so you *should* still be able to find something you like.
  • Those games that we can (Think Ker-Plunk, Hungry Hippoes) will be blasted through our dishwashers, which means they can return to the shelves quicker. This will be especially important for our younger customers, who can plough through these games!
  • Speaking of the youngsters, children will need to stay at their table and/or with an adult at all times. We understand they can be typhoons of energy, but a wandering child will break social distance and/or smear pizza fingers on the shelves rapidly, leading to mass game quarantine!
    This is the piece we have agonized over most. We are very aware there are few places for kids to go right now, and we so want them to have a bundle of fun after lockdown. Of course, we also want parents who have survived lockdown without strangling a single child to have a relaxing time; but it must be Careful Fun. We hope parents will understand we will need them to, to coin a phrase, Stay Alert.

We're sorry this is all a bit long and po-faced - to make up for it a bit, we have two  exciting pieces of news;

  • We are going to open an outside space. We have lovely gazeboes (Pink and Purple) to protect you from the weather, and we hope you will enjoy a nice drink and pizza. Close your eyes, and imagine you are in Tuscany. (You won't be, you will be in Croydon still. Our teleporter is *still* not working).
  • We figure Croydon deserves some good times, so for this test opening 3 days, all games sessions will be free!  

We strongly advise booking, which you can do at https://www.theludoquist.com/pages/booking .

You can see a lot of what we've done below!


We look forward to welcoming you back, as and when it feels comfortable.

     




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