Tucked away down a quiet country lane just off the A6 in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, lies a haven for analog entertainment. Ready Steady Roll isn’t your average coffee shop. It is an award-winning board game café and retail shop dedicated to a simple, powerful mission: helping people put down their smartphones, connect face-to-face, and rediscover the joy of tabletop play.
The café began its journey in 2015 as a humble pop-up initiative by its original founder, Darrell, appearing in libraries and museums across Bedfordshire. Its growing popularity eventually demanded a permanent home. In 2017, Ready Steady Roll settled into Studio 5 at Ivy Lodge. Today, the business is passionately run by Chas, recently joined by new business partner Evie. They have preserved the café’s signature community warmth while fostering a welcoming environment for hardcore strategists and young families alike.
For many, walking into a modern board game space can feel intimidating. With around 600 games stacking the shelves - ranging from light party favorites like Codenames to heavy strategy titles like Wingspan and Earth - we're om hand to offer advice for picking and learning games!
The experience is rounded out by full table service. While you plot your next move, you can indulge in a menu featuring hot snack, barista-style coffee, and a rotating selection of locally made cakes.
Visitors can book a two-hour table slot for £4 for adults and £3 for children (with discounted rates on term-time weekdays), with various other deals available from time to time plus our just launched work day deal - although we encourage a non-digital experience, during the working week when the kids are at school, we offer a relaxed space where people can get on with some work or connect with colleagues away from the humdrum of a busy town centre setting.
In an increasingly digital world, Ready Steady Roll provides a rare physical community space. It acts as an educational playground for young kids building cognitive skills, a unique destination for a couples' date night, and a lively social hub during their late-night Friday and Saturday openings, or our Blood on the Clocktower events. It stands as a brilliant reminder that sometimes, the best way to connect is simply to sit across a table, pass the dice, and play.
