Beloved Shrewsbury board game café reopen 18 months after closure

Shrewsbury’s much-loved board game café has made a welcome return, reopening just around the corner from its former home following an “overwhelming” community fundraising effort.

After six years on Mardol, the beloved board game café Nerdy served its last customers in May 2025.

At the time, the owners described running the venue as “difficult”, citing issues including flooding and rising maintenance costs among the reasons behind its closure.

Over the years, owner Katie Petrovic continued to host pop-up events across the town, with support from local organisations and businesses.

Then, in September, the newly renamed N3rdys announced plans to return to a permanent home with the launch of a fundraising campaign.

Within three weeks, the £8,000 target had been reached, and the team soon moved into Mardol Gardens - just around the corner from their former home.

Now operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), the new venue has opened its doors with a packed schedule of events, including quiz nights and regular Dungeons & Dragons sessions.

Former customer Ian Ison is now on the other side of the counter.

“Nerdy helped me during a difficult period of my life where I was struggling with my mental health,” Ian explained.

“It was a safe place for me to tuck myself away with a cup of coffee and meet friends.”

Ian said the team had been “overwhelmed” by the “fantastic” response to the fundraiser.

“The customers who have come back so far are loving it,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of beautiful feedback.”

The venue is open from 12pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

A temporary admission price of £4 per session is in place until a formal membership system is up and running.