Visitors can try BBC's The Repair Shop game at Fareham garden centre
Hambrooks Garden Centre, near Fareham is giving visitors the chance to try the official BBC The Repair Shop board game before buying.
Portsmouth entrepreneur, Rachel Lowe MBE created the game and her Destination Portsmouth game is also available in Artisan Corner - Hambrooks’ showcase area for local makers and independent brands.
Pippa Bailey, Group Sales & Marketing Consultant at Hambrooks, said: “We’re thrilled to feature Rachel’s games in our new Artisan Corner. Both Destination The Repair Shop and Destination Portsmouth are fun for all the family – and we love that people can try them out here before taking one home. They make perfect Christmas gifts and celebrate two things we know our visitors love: community spirit and creativity.”
In Destination The Repair Shop, players drive wooden vans and take treasured heirlooms, such as teddy bears, train sets and antique clocks to The Barn to be repaired. They collect Stars instead of money along the way and the player with the most Stars wins.
Destination Portsmouth is a special 20th anniversary edition where players race their taxi to destinations around the city and collect fares. The player with the most money at the end of their shift wins. Both games have traffic lights with hidden challenges and you could run out of fuel or lose your driving licence.
Fans of The Repair Shop can also buy a beautifully illustrated 1,000-piece puzzle featuring the vans, heirlooms, and iconic branding and there is a 200-piece edition of The Portsmouth Puzzle to suit younger ages.
Three other games will be available for Christmas – Destination Christmas, Destination London and Destination World. These are ideal for families and very young children can enjoy Destination World as the board is a map of the world where they can learn fun facts about each country whilst playing the game.
In Destination Christmas, Santa needs help to deliver all his presents on time. His elves come to the rescue, driving Snow Cabs to each destination and collecting Santa Vouchers when they deliver the presents.
This is a Christmas game with a difference as sales will support Mission Christmas – a gift appeal that helps UK children living in poverty who would otherwise have nothing to open on Christmas Day. A minimum of £1 per game will be donated to the appeal and can help to fund additional gifts, particularly for teenagers as there is always a shortfall in donations for this age group.
Hambrooks Garden Centre is a Mission Christmas drop-off point for gifts, with the last day for donations on Friday, December 19.
The garden centre is independently owned with over 50 years’ experience in landscaping and design. Visitors can explore their outdoor garden displays, browse a range of plants and garden products, and enjoy the festive atmosphere in the run-up to Christmas.
Late-night Thursday openings include free mulled wine and mince pies until 7pm, along with Festive Afternoon Teas and a Coffee Shop Lucky Dip. Artisan Corner is stocked with unique gifts, and Christmas trees are available to pick.
The Coffee Shop also serves homemade cakes, drinks, and snacks. Hambrooks’ Loyalty Schemes offer rewards and discounts for members, making it a perfect destination for festive shopping and seasonal treats.