Welcome to Board Game Social Nights at Games Haven Nottingham
Where Nottingham’s Students Tabletop Community Comes
Looking for a place where dice roll, laughter carries, and cardboard kingdoms rise and collapse in the space of an evening? Welcome to the Games Haven Nottingham Board Game Social, a weekly, student-friendly break from screens, deadlines, and another quiet night in halls.
Whether you’re hoping to meet other students, try social deduction games, or just sit at a table where conversation happens naturally, this is designed to be easy to walk into and hard to feel out of place.
The sessions are relaxed and open. Games range from light party games to deeper strategy, and there’s always someone happy to explain the rules. You can drop in for an hour or stay all evening. Coming alone is normal. Turning up not knowing what you like yet is normal too.
It’s less about winning and more about shared moments. Talking while you play. Laughing at bad decisions. Finding that one game you suddenly care far too much about.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays – Board Game Socials
We’re not just a game night. We’re a community.
Fully air-conditionined and in-store refreshments
bOARDgAME lIBRARY dROP IN’S
So Many Games. Zero Setup Hassle.
Whether you’re a lifelong dice-slinger or just game-curious, the Games Haven Board Game Library is your personal playground.
No need to own a collection (or figure out the rules alone). Just drop in, pay the daily fee, and dive into a table of fun.
If you’re a student looking for a low-pressure way to meet people and do something genuinely social, the
Board Game Social is exactly that.
Turn up, take a seat, and see where the evening goes.
#BoardGameSocial #NottinghamTabletop #InclusiveGamingUK #GamesHaven #GamesHavenUK #GamesHaven #GamesHavenUK #BoardGameNight #PlayTestersWelcome
nOTTINGHAM bOARD gAMES Student sOCIAL events
Nottingham’s Students Home for Tabletop Gaming, Strategy, and Connection
Board Game Socials – Find Your Game Group
Board Game Social at the Heart of Nottingham
At the heart of the Creative Quarter, just a short walk from the Lace Market tram stop, Games Haven Nottingham has quietly become one of the city’s most welcoming homes for hobby gamers of every kind. But something a little different happens every Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon. That’s when Board Game Social comes alive.
More Than a Club Night
This isn’t just a weekly meetup. It’s a ritual. A warm, laughter-filled break from screens, stress, and the polite-but-draining small talk that follows you through lectures and seminars. It’s a space where strangers become rivals, rivals become allies, and alliances turn into gaming groups that last far beyond term time.
Who It’s For
Board Game Social is built for anyone who loves cardboard worlds, clever mechanics, and real human connection. That might mean you’re deep into Eurogames, loud about party games, thrive on hidden roles and chaos, or simply miss the kind of shared joy you can’t get from streaming or scrolling.
You don’t need to bring a game.
You don’t need to bring a group.
You just need to turn up.
Why Our Board Game Nights Are Different
There are plenty of game nights in Nottingham. What we do is something else.
We’ve carved out space in the city’s indie gaming scene for more than competition. Board Game Social is about community first. Access first. Creativity first. Winning matters far less than feeling welcome, learning something new, and leaving with a story to tell.
If you’re a student looking for something social that doesn’t feel forced, this is it.
Inclusive by Design
Board Game Social is proudly neurodivergent-welcoming and inclusivity-led. That isn’t a slogan. It’s how the space actually works. There are quieter seating areas, flexible table pairings, and volunteers who understand sensory needs and social energy limits without making a fuss about it.
Whether you’re autistic, introverted, socially anxious, or simply new to the room, you’re not expected to perform.
You’re supported. You’re given space. You’re backed.Students regularly join us from University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent Universit
y,
Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, Nottingham College, and sixth forms across the city.
You don’t need to already know people. Plenty arrive alone. That’s normal here.Thursday EveningsThursday sessions suit the after-work crowd, date-night pairs, solo players looking for something social without pressure, and groups who want to end the week on a genuine win. Games tend to be lively, varied, and conversational, with space to move between tables if your energy shifts.
Sunday AfternoonsSundays are slower and more spacious. Ideal for legacy games, campaign play, learner-friendly tables, and long-form strategy without the clock ticking in the background. It’s calmer, quieter, and built for depth rather than speed.
However you arrive, and whatever your week has looked like, Board Game Social is designed to meet you where you are.
Every great game begins the same way.A spare chair. A shared table.
What happens next is yours.
Why Student Gaming Socials?
Here’s what makes Games Haven’s Social Nights different:
### Local Roots, Global GamesWe mix the best of both worlds. UK-published and indie titles sit alongside international favourites, so there’s always something new on the table. You’ll often see games from Nottingham-based designers,
plus featured titles and collaborations with studios like **Mantic Games**, **Alley Cat Games**, and **Themeborne**.
For students, it means you’re not just playing what’s popular. You’re discovering what’s being made now, locally and globally, and getting a feel for the wider creative scene behind the games themselves.
Neurodivergent-Friendly
Our space was built with accessibility and comfort in mind.
We welcome neurodivergent gamers and offer:
Quieter play areas, lower Lighting and sound controlRespectful, welcoming community culture
Why Board Game Social?
Community-Powered
Join our Board Game Ambassadors, a community-led initiative helping new players integrate and keep game tables turning.
Designed for All Playstyles
Play fast and fun, thinky and crunchy, or thematic and immersive — you’ll find players who match your pace and vibe.
Games Haven Boardgame events Nottingham
Ready to roll dice, draft cards, or outwit your friends over cardboard empires?
At Games Haven Nottingham, we’re always setting up fresh board game nights,
leagues, and casual socials.
Check out what’s on, grab a seat, and get your game face on.
Sun
Casual Play
Sunday 12:00 – Late
Sunday Socials
Good Family Fun
Tues
Casual Play
Tuesdays from 5pm
LGTBQ+ Tuesday Nght Boardgames
Casual Tuesday Board Gaming
Thur
Casual Play
Weekdays
Thursday Socials
Great Boardgaming Night
Board Games at Games Haven – What’s Your Move?
Your First Visit?
Here’s What to Expect:
- Show up alone or with a friend — solo gamers always welcomed.
- Grab a drink, browse the games, or ask staff for a recommendation.
- Join an open table, or start your own. We’ll help you find players.
- Stay as long as you like — close is usually around 11 PM.
- Pay at the counter or online — or ask about our £25/month membership.
You don’t have to know the rules.
You just have to love the vibe.
Want to Stay in
the Loop?
Up and Coming Events
Boardgame Socials
We drop a new Game of the Week every Monday on Discord and socials.
Special events, themed nights, and community votes happen monthly.
You can find live table listings and player match-ups by joining our
Discord server.
Looking to run a workshop or join the Games Haven Game Master Guild? You’ll want to subscribe to our upcoming email list, or just drop by and ask for Rob, our events and community coordinator.
Call for Board Game Teachers
We actively encourage board game hosts, teachers, and community leaders to book tables, run demo nights, or organise regular socials for our growing tabletop community. Whether you’re showcasing a new release, teaching strategy classics, or just want to bring people together over games. We’ve got the space and the support to help you make it happen.
What We Offer:
- Table reservations for free or discounted rates for you.
- Spotlight nights to showcase your event or Activity.
- Promo features on our website and socials
- Opportunities for paid ticketed sessions and events and Game design workshops
Local Love,
&
Indie Focus
We don’t just stock the big publishers. We’ve actively worked with local game designers, indie developers, and regional publishers to give their titles a platform.
From Themeborne’s Escape the Dark series to Alley Cat Games , to student prototypes from NTU and University of Nottingham — our gaming ethos reflects Nottingham’s board game identity as much as global trends.
Want to playtest something? Want to host a designer night? Want to showcase your Kickstarter game in development?
Let’s make it happen.
We’re just Not a Café.
We’re a Students
Tabletop Living Room.
Other venues charge for time. We charge for presence.
Games Haven Nottingham is part board game café, part tabletop gaming hub, part sanctuary. Board games, card games, miniatures, and tabletop worlds all live under the same roof. You won’t be rushed out for another booking. Stay all evening. Settle in. Make it a proper session.
Bring your own food, grab a bubble tea from next door, or order takeaway straight to the table. Our staff will help you sleeve a new deck, pick a game that fits your mood, or talk you through miniatures, campaigns, and armies, including Warhammer 40,000.
Want to start a new board game or tabletop group? Bring the idea and we’ll give you space, visibility, and support.
Want to test a prototype or a homebrew system? Designers, publishers, and devs pass through regularly.
Want to bring a partner who’s only ever played Uno? We’ll introduce them to something that clicks.
You’re not too new.
You’re not too weird.
You’re not too quiet.
You belong here.
Nottingham’s Home for Tabletop Gaming, Strategy, and Student Connection
At the heart of the Creative Quarter, a short walk from the Lace Market tram stop, Games Haven Nottingham has quietly become one of the city’s most welcoming homes for board games, tabletop play, and hobby gaming in all its forms. But something special happens every Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon. That’s when our Social sessions take over the space.
This isn’t just a club night. It’s a ritual. A warm, laughter-filled break from screens, deadlines, and forced small talk. A place where strangers become rivals, rivals become allies, and alliances turn into gaming groups that last for years.
We designed these Social sessions for anyone who loves cardboard worlds, clever mechanics, painted miniatures, and real human connection. That might mean you’re deep into Eurogames, loud about party games, thrive on hidden roles, or spend your time building armies and planning campaigns for Warhammer 40,000. If it’s tabletop, it belongs here.
You don’t need to bring a game.
You don’t need to bring a group.
You just need to turn up.