Hi, I’m Hayley, the founder of Twist.
I have always loved games. My gran introduced me to Rummy when I was about eight and is still to this day the driving force behind family games. Dad taught me Ludo and Pass the Pigs. Saturday mornings were spent sat on the bedroom floor with my sister playing Frustration, Mousetrap and Downfall. And mum? She actually cheats at Cheat, I’ve never forgiven her for that. “But what about Monopoly?” I hear you cry. Monopoly was permanently retired from our family table after Christmas 2005… we don’t talk about Monopoly.
In my early twenties a friend re-introduced me to board games, but these weren’t the same titles from my childhood. These were exciting, strategic, complex, funny, well-thought out, balanced, social games. Board games had got exponentially better… and I was hooked.
This drastic improvement in board games has resulted in an explosion in popularity. Year on year more and more people are choosing to get their friends around a table and play. In recent years board game cafes have been popping up all over the UK to meet this demand. The premise is simple – come in, play games, eat and drink, have fun. In 2016 I moved back to my hometown, and was disappointed to find that Plymouth did not yet have a board game cafe…
There’s a book I love called Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon. In it he suggests you “write the book you want to read”. Twist is my book, it’s my dream hangout – chilling with friends, board games, tasty homemade food and quality drinks. I created it around seven core values, which are listed below.
You can reach me directly on hayley@twistbgc.co.uk and I can’t wait to welcome you into the cafe soon!
FUN
Creating fun, that’s why we’re here. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are or what you do as a job, you need to have fun. When was the last time you played? Life can be stressful and serious and play often gets neglected… but we need it. Play builds relationships, unleashes our creativity and makes us smarter.
INCLUSIVE
Everyone is welcome. If you want to be here, we would love to have you. At Twist nobody should ever feel unsafe, unwanted or discriminated against. We will always do what we can to accommodate everyone and we have a zero tolerance policy to discrimination. We are here to spread good vibes, not hate.
CONSCIOUS
We all affect the world around us. At Twist we are conscious of our impact. From where we source our products and the waste we generate, to how we serve the community and meet needs of individuals. We stay up-to-date with the changing world around us and are willing to learn and change when we need to.
EXCITING
A visit to Twist will never be dull. Celebrate your victories and be outraged at your friends’ betrayals. We’ve created an environment where you can escape the outside world and immerse yourself in the excitement of play.
SOCIAL
In our increasingly connected world it’s easy to feel alone. We’re all about meaningful social interaction. Twist swaps cat videos for board games and ‘likes’ for laughter. We’re a place to hang out with old friends and make new ones.
QUALITY
We always aim for the highest possible standards across everything we do. From every sandwich and pint to greeting and rules explanation, we give you our very best.
EASY-GOING
We’re laid back, so you can be too. We definitely don’t take ourselves too seriously. We want you to feel at home, so whether that’s bringing your dog, special requests for your friend’s birthday or food to meet your dietary requirements, we’ve got your back.
