"I'm really proud": Man swaps career in IT for dream of opening cafe with Warhammer and board games at its heart

Opening its doors on December 13, Diceheads, in Coates Road, Gosport, is the perfect place for people that love board games, Warhammer and D&D.

David Straw, owner of the new cafe, has enjoyed playing board games for the past decade, with Warhammer piquing his interest five years ago.

And after being made redundant last April, the 41-year-old decided to take the plunge and open his very own cafe centred around the games he loves.

David said: “This is a new venture for me, I was previously in IT - I was trying to look for jobs but always thought there was a gap in the market in Gosport. I thought there was a need for it so I thought I’d give it a go.

“There was nothing in here apart from a plug socket and a small table so it had to be plastered and had electricals put in to make it into a usable space.

“It is great that it’s open and people are using the space and I’m really proud of what I’ve down. This is just the start - I want to change things and adapt things as the space is used to see what does and doesn’t work.”

The cafe, which offers hot and cold drinks and snacks, has a library of over 300 board games as well as eight war game tables and wargaming terrain.

The fully licensed venue is open between 12noon to 9pm Tuesday to Friday and between 11am to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday.

David added: “It’s been really great. I had a lot of people come in to have a look on the first weekend and now they are coming back with their friends and family to play.

“It was a bit out of left field to open - it was something I would sit and work and think about, so it was sort of a dream I had.

“My wife has been amazing, she helped build the library and find the space. The support has been incredible.”