Edinburgh Board Gamers
Roll the dice, make new friends, and discover your next favourite game with Edinburgh's most welcoming board game community – it's free, fun, and fiercely friendly!
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About
If you're walking around Edinburgh and find yourself yearning for some friendly competition and a great social buzz, you absolutely have to check out the Edinburgh Board Gamers. This group is a treasure trove for anyone keen on modern board games – from easy-to-learn party games to deep strategy epics, they've got it all. You'll love the super welcoming vibe; regulars are always thrilled to introduce new faces to their favourite games, so don't worry if you're a newbie. Insider tip: their Friday Night Pub Gaming events at the Grassmarket Centre are legendary, growing from a handful to a massive weekly gathering, complete with tasty food and drinks from the café.
Community Group
Edinburgh Board Gamers is a sociable board game club in Edinburgh that hosts inclusive and welcoming events for both strategy and casual gamers interested in modern board games, from Ticket to Ride to Game of Thrones to Codenames, with a focus on friendly and social gaming.
Board Games
Edinburgh Board Gamers is a sociable and inclusive club that welcomes newcomers and experienced players to enjoy a variety of modern board games, from Ticket to Ride to Game of Thrones, in a friendly and social atmosphere.
Dining
Dining facilities include Coffee Saints Cafe and a Bottle Bar at the Grassmarket Centre, offering breakfasts, sandwiches, toasties, tea, coffee, cakes, and other meals. Additionally, at the Hampton by Hilton Hotel, there is a bar and a Starbucks with a small food menu and drinks available.
Full Description
The Edinburgh Board Gamers is a sociable board game club based in Edinburgh that organizes inclusive and welcoming events for modern board game enthusiasts. They play a wide variety of titles, from popular games like Ticket to Ride and Codenames to more complex ones like Game of Thrones. The group explicitly welcomes newcomers to the tabletop gaming hobby and finds joy in helping people discover new games, often providing lighter games that are easy to learn and offer plenty of interaction. The focus is on the friendly and social side of gaming, catering to both strategy and casual gamers. The club has grown significantly from a small gathering in a pub to weekly events attracting 80-100 people and quarterly "Big All Day Gaming Saturdays" which draw twice that number. A core principle of the club's inclusivity and growth is keeping its events free to attend, ensuring no one is excluded by price. Running costs are covered through voluntary donations, which can be made conveniently via their Patreon page. Organizers do not take a cut from donations, with funds primarily used for Meetup site fees, updating the games library, and other operational costs, with some set aside for future venue rental. The Edinburgh Board Gamers maintains an active online presence through a Facebook page, a Discord server for announcements and real-time communication, and a guild on BoardGameGeek. They also host online gaming sessions via Discord, utilizing platforms like Board Game Arena. Their events take place at various locations. For example, "Big Gaming Day and Charity Fundraiser" and "Friday Night Games" are held at The Grassmarket Centre, which is described as a large community hall with a café area and side rooms. At these events, attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drinks from the venue's café, which offers breakfasts, sandwiches, toasties, tea, coffee, and cake, as the venue hosts the group for free. A suggested donation of £5 is voluntary for these events, with preference given to spending money in the café. These events are very informal, perfect for drop-ins, and games are often taught by other players. Specific features include a "Bring and Buy Table" where 10% of sales are donated to the Grassmarket Community Project charity, and organized play for games like Blood on the Clock Tower and Klask Tournaments. Another event, "Hub Board Gamers - Saturday," occurs at Drumbrae Library Hub, offering large, well-lit tables and free tea, coffee, and biscuits until 3 pm. Attendees can bring their own games or play from the library's collection, ranging from solo and co-op games to Eurogames and heavier strategy titles. There's a kitchen area for water refills and rubbish disposal. "Monday Night Strategy Games" are hosted at The Hampton at Hilton Hotel (Fountain Park), where attendees receive a 20% discount at the hotel bar. These events focus on medium-to-long strategy games and typically run from 6:55 PM to around 10:00 PM, with a midnight venue exit. Participants are encouraged to buy drinks at the hotel bar to support the venue's free hosting. Newcomers are always welcome, with friendly regulars and organizers on hand to help find games and teach rules. Parking is available on nearby single yellow lines after 6:30 PM.