The Dice Box board game cafe opens in The Shambles, Worcester

The Dice Box has officially launched in The Shambles, offering people the chance to try out more than 400 different games.

In charge is husband and wife team Ben and Katherine Parker-Jones, who have been playing board games for the best part of a decade.

Now they have been able to turn their passion into a profession, and the opening day (Saturday, June 17) couldn’t have gone better.

Ben said: “If anything it's gone better than we thought it would.

“The second we opened the door we had people walking in and it’s been busy all day so far.”

Katherine added: “We weren’t sure what to expect but it’s been fantastic.

“Just being able to look out and see tables full of people of all ages and all backgrounds enjoying a game and some nice food and drinks, that’s what we wanted to see and that’s what’s happening.”

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Ben and Katherine Parker-Jones during opening day at The Dice Box (Image: Newsquest)

Located in what used to be Fast Cash, The Dice Box is part of a nationwide chain which originated in Leamington Spa.

Ben and Katherine, who met in Worcester, were at the Leamington branch’s launch and decided to get in on the action, picking up the keys for the Worcester venue last month.

“It’s been a long process, many months of feeling like we’re ready but just not having the keys,” Katherine said.

Ben added: “In hindsight, the delay was to our benefit, Katherine spent it planning the project so when we got the keys she knew exactly what needed doing.”

The Dice Box takes over unit formerly occupied by Fast Cash (Image: Newsquest)

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With experience in the theatre and marketing industries respectively, Katherine and Ben believe they have everything it takes to make the café a success, and it certainly helps that they are board game fanatics themselves.

Katherine said: “We have been able to take what we love and now get to share it with other people.”

“We've been board game fans for just under a decade, wherever we go we always have a big Ikea bag full of games and I think we’d play them even more if we could,” added Ben.

“The last month while setting up we’ve been surrounded by all these games and have barely had the time to look at them, there’s so many I want to get out and play.

“It’s so nice to be able to recommend games, watch people play them and discover new ones they love.”

The cafe's menu features cocktails, beers, burgers and more (Image: Newsquest)

The Dice Box opens Tuesday to Sunday featuring a menu with cocktails, milkshakes, burgers and more.