Popular boardgame heads for a new destination – TV’s The Repair Shop
The creator of a hit boardgame has teamed up with the producers of one of TV’s most popular shows to bring out a new edition in time for Christmas.
Rachel Lowe famously came up with the idea for Destination while working as a taxi driver to fund her studies at the University of Portsmouth as a mature law student.
Now the Portsmouth entrepreneur is releasing Destination The Repair Shop to reflect the much-loved BBC One show, which is filmed nearby at The Weald & Downland Living Museum near Chichester.
As ‘Guardians of Heirlooms’, players travel in their own Repair Shop van between different destinations on the board collecting precious heirlooms, such as an antique clock or an old train set to deliver back to The Repair Shop barn, gathering Repair Shop stars as they go.
But the journey is far from easy, there are obstacles to navigate as you travel around the board. Traffic lights can offer you an advantage or a penalty, fuel levels need to be maintained and there are costly implications for landing on another player’s Destination, but heirlooms ‘revealed’ at The Barn will earn you extra bonus stars!
The player to have accumulated the most Repair Shop Stars at the end of the game wins. If you are a fan of this hit BBC TV show, you’ll find this an engaging and fun game for all the family which requires some strategic thinking along the way!
Rachel said: “I am so excited about the launch of Destination The Repair Shop. It’s been so much fun developing it and everyone involved, including the production company Ricochet Productions and programme owners Warner Bros, International Television Production, have been so engaged and supportive.
"Collaborating with the team at TVAdswork has been amazing and I am looking forward to continuing to work with them on future projects.”
Rachel appeared on our screens in 2004 when she pitched the Destination London board game to the panel of Dragon’s Den.
Overcoming harsh rejection in the Den, Rachel went on to prove the popularity of the game. Destination London was stocked in Hamleys that Christmas and went on to be their most sold game that year, outselling Monopoly.
The road to the success has not always been easy and it is testament to Rachel’s determination, resilience and work ethic that she has been able to navigate the troubled waters of the financial crisis of 2008 and the pandemic collapse.
Today the Destination brand offers more than 50 variations of games and puzzles, including those for her home city and others on the south coast. some based on local areas including Destination Southampton, Destination Bournemouth and Poole, Destination Isle of Wight and of course, one based on her home city, Destination Portsmouth, which was recently celebrated with a special 20th Anniversary edition.
There are also versions based on other hit TV shows and movies such as Downton Abbey, Harry Potter and a new release coming soon with Destination Star Trek Universe.
She has also been working with Park Gate-based media agency TVAdswork, who have created a national TV advertising and marketing campaign for the launch.
Creative director at TVAdswork Andrew Telling added: “We are thrilled to support the development and launch of Destination The Repair Shop.
"Karen Brar, TVAdswork’s media director and I have worked with Rachel for more than a decade and the whole team are delighted to be able to partner with her on this next step of her entrepreneurial journey.
“Our investment not only aligns with our mission to back innovative projects that deliver exceptional entertainment experience, but also continues our commitment to fostering creativity.”
Senior commercial executive at Warner Bros, David Rodrigues said: "It has been such a rewarding experience working with the creatives at Ricochet Productions and everybody at Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles and TVAdswork, to ensure the values of The Repair Shop are at the very heart of these products.
"By bringing these talented teams together, we’ve created an experience that truly reflects the craftsmanship, warmth and emotional connection that make the brand so special.”
It is available now from destinationboardgames.com.