Tabletop Game Shop in Finchley: Leisure Games, Free Tables

Leisure Games is a tabletop game shop at 100 Ballards Lane, Finchley, London N3 2DN, and it opens 11 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday and bank holidays. It keeps a dedicated gaming space at the back for about 40 people, with free open gaming on Wednesday evenings.

The shop describes itself as a specialist games retailer with a physical location in North London, and it claims the widest range of tabletop games in the UK. The shelves cover board games, trading card games, indie games, role-playing games, wargames, miniatures and accessories. It states clearly that it does not sell video games, which keeps the stock focused.

What makes it more than a shop is the space at the rear. The shop describes a dedicated gaming area with capacity for around 40 people, and its library games can be tried on complimentary gaming tables. You can pick a box off the shelf, ask staff to open a demo and play before you decide whether it is worth carrying home.

The About Us page on leisuregames.com lists the hours as Monday to Saturday 11.00 to 18.00 and Sunday and bank holidays 11.00 to 17.00. Broken out by day, that is Monday 11 am to 6 pm, Tuesday 11 am to 6 pm, Wednesday 11 am to 6 pm, Thursday 11 am to 6 pm, Friday 11 am to 6 pm, Saturday 11 am to 6 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

The shop closes by 6 pm, so the Wednesday evening session is an event rather than a trading hour. If you plan to join it, ask at the counter on the day how late the room stays open, since the website lists open gaming for Wednesday evenings and select Sundays without a finishing time.

Leisure Games runs a regular events programme that suits several kinds of player. The shop lists free open gaming sessions on Wednesday evenings and select Sundays, Friday Night Magic tournaments, competitive events for Netrunner, Magic: The Gathering and X-Wing, role-playing campaigns in Pathfinder and Dungeons and Dragons, and family game days.

That mix means the room changes character through the week. Friday nights belong to the Magic crowd, Wednesdays are more casual, and the family days make it a rare North London shop where a parent can bring a child to a table and start with a simple game. The shop's events calendar lists the dates, so check it before you set out.

The shop is explicit that it wants a safe and inclusive environment, and it prohibits harassment, discrimination and other antisocial behaviour in the gaming space. That statement matters if you are new to the hobby or bringing younger players, because it sets the tone for the tables at the back.

Treat the gaming area like a library with an active floor: ask before moving a demo copy, put pieces back in the right box, and leave the table clear for the next group. The shop does not publish a long rulebook, so common courtesy is what keeps the room running smoothly.

The shop's travel page names Finchley Central on the Northern line as the nearest Underground station, and lists buses 82, 125, 143, 382 and 460 along the road. From Finchley Central the shop is on Ballards Lane, the main shopping street, so you can combine a game browse with other errands in the same walk.

Parking needs care. The shop sits in a controlled parking zone, and most side-road bays are for residents or permit holders, with restrictions between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm Monday to Friday. Weekend parking in those bays is unrestricted, so a Saturday or Sunday car trip is the easier option.

Newcomers get the clearest benefit. Because the shop lets you try library games on complimentary tables, you can test a cooperative game with friends before paying, and staff on the floor can suggest something lighter or heavier if the first choice drags. Bring the group you intend to play with, since the shop's help is aimed at people sitting down together.

Regular competitors get a different benefit: a Friday Night Magic table, Netrunner and X-Wing events, and a Wednesday open night to try a new deck. If you live near Finchley Central, that adds up to a local hobby base without a long trip into the West End. If the shop is closed when you arrive, Orcs Nest in Covent Garden is the nearest alternative for a pure shopping trip.

If you cannot visit, the shop also runs a mail order service, with same-day despatch as standard and typical UK delivery in two working days. That makes it useful as a fallback after a visit, when you remember the expansion you meant to buy. For an urgent birthday gift, buy in person during opening hours.

An honest verdict: Leisure Games is best for people who want to learn a game with staff help and a free table. It is not the place for a long meal or a drink, since it is a shop, so pair it with Rogues Quarter in Kentish Town if you want a bar, or Dark Sphere in Shepherd's Bush if you want late opening.

Address: Leisure Games, 100 Ballards Lane, Finchley, London N3 2DN. Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 am to 6 pm, Sunday and bank holidays 11 am to 5 pm. Nearest station: Finchley Central. Gaming tables are complimentary for library games, and open gaming runs on Wednesday evenings and select Sundays.

Use the Karpo APP to plan the rest of your Finchley day, and aim for a weekday afternoon if you want unhurried help from staff, and come on a Friday night or a Wednesday evening if you came to meet other players.