Games in Pubs
I like games. Word games in particular. When I got back to the U.K. after Christmas, I started carrying around Scattegories and Quiddler everywhere I went. You know, just in case anyone wanted to play a random game or three. And I wasn't alone. I had dinner at The Charles Lamb; people were playing dominoes. I had lunch at The Peasant and people were playing cards. We had drinks at The George Inn, and people were playing something.
I declare 2009 the year of games in pubs. People can't afford to go out big-time anymore. We're getting back to basics. And I'm wondering…why did we ever gave this up? Games are fun. And cheap. I think I'm going to take up mah-jong.
Are people playing games in your local? Where? And can I play?





Jan 12, 2009
I love your blog – it’s great!!
And I totally agree about games in pubs! I love seeing a pile of worn-out boxes next to the bar. I haven’t been in a pub recently with games though. I should try the ones you suggest!
Jan 12, 2009
I like pubs where they supply the games. Spent a lovely evening playing monopoly in a pub a few weeks ago. By the way, what is Quiddler I have never heard of it?
Jan 12, 2009
You can play in the Eagle on Askew Rd in west London. They recently renovated the pub (it’s now much more ‘gastro’ and part of the Geronimo group) but thankfully, kept their impressive stash of board games.
Jan 12, 2009
One of my local pubs has a traditional skittle alley. Great fun after a few drinks!
Jan 12, 2009
Town of Ramsgate, Wapping. Landlord keeps several games behind the bar. There’s a quiz night on Mondays too with buttered popcorn on tap!
Jan 14, 2009
Quiddler is like playing Rummy, but with letters…so you have to make
words. It travels well!
Jan 17, 2009
I love playing games in pubs, it reminds me of my student days. Word games are my favourite too, we should have a game of something at some point, a quiet scrabble or boggle in a pub one afternoon, we could while away the hours with some nibbles and wine, beer, water, whatever!
Jan 19, 2009
Helen, I LOVE Boggle. There was a version on Facebook for a while but they
took it down. It was awesome. A Food Blogger’s Game Night?
Jan 20, 2009
Me and my friends used to play drinking games in pubs, although this is usually only viable if the drinks are cheap. Otherwise my pub game repetoire extends only to the obvious, such as Jenga or the pub’s old chess set where pieces are missing and you have to substitute a salt shaker for the bishop
(btw, this is Adam, Martha & Doug’s friend whom you spent a lot of time looking up Martin Sheen details on Wikipedia with last Firday
Great blog!)
Mar 10, 2010
I love scattegories but haven’t been able to find it anywhere around here. The Quiddler game looks fun too, but I haven’t been able to find anywhere to buy it in the UK. Do you happen to know anywhere to buy either of these games over here?
Mar 10, 2010
Um, Amazon.co.uk? Or from the games guy at Camden Lock Market