A board games café that captured the imagination of Croydon residents young and old has been crowned winner of the Good Evening Croydon competition.
Ludoquist Board Games Café beat competition from four other finalists, who were shortlisted for the ideas they put forward to boost the borough’s night-time offering. The contest was run as part of Croydon’s ongoing regeneration and the Croydon Growth Zone programme.
Since entering the competition, the owners of Ludoquist have managed to successfully launch their concept by opening their café on Croydon High Street.
The venue has over 1,000 board games to suit every taste and age group, whether it’s those who want to re-live their childhood with games like Ker-Plunk, or gaming hobbyists looking for a lesser known board game to play.
Ludoquist’s proposal proved popular in the public vote and was awarded the highest marks by the judging panel whose comments on their proposed café included “this is a very viable business model” and “this idea really stands out, it’s one I think would appeal to everyone”.
Given Ludoquist Café has opened and started operating since the Good Evening Croydon competition first began, the council will recognise their success in the competition by supporting their celebration launch event which will take place in early March.
Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for economy and jobs
“I am delighted such an innovative idea was crowned winner of Good Evening Croydon. Ludoquist board game café was popular among the public and judges and that’s because as a concept, it had something for everyone.
“The owners’ drive and ambition saw it grow from an idea, to an up and running café before the competition came to a close. This drive and determination is exactly what we want new businesses to bring to Croydon and I’m pleased the council will be able to work with Ludoquist to support their formal launch.”
Nick and Carrie Smith, the owners of Ludoquist, added: “We are thrilled we were chosen as winners of the Good Evening Croydon competition. There were some incredible ideas on the shortlist so we feel very excited about the future. The support from the council and local community has been amazing and very positive. Working in partnership with Croydon Council we look forward to making Croydon a little more fun and provide a destination for everyone in Croydon and beyond.”
