Brighton’s Board Game Cafe Plans to Open in the Former Emporium Theatre

At present, Dice Saloon, located in Brighton’s Longley Industrial Estate, has applied to reopen in the former Emporium Theatre on London Road.

Originally used as a Methodist Church until 2006, the Emporium remained there until 2016 when it was demolished after financial problems.

Emporium had asked for approval to construct, but this was denied in 2013. Further to that, no concrete compliance action has ever been taken. It’s got an alcohol license too.

Planning Permission

The Dice Saloon Café provides a variety of game events such as board games, card games, and video games. It has requested for changing the use of the former Emporium Theatre building from a worship place to retail, conference and recreational spot.

Lewis & Co, a planning consultancy firm, wrote the planning proposal to switch usage from a church that has an application number BH2020/00666.

Dice Saloon should find some new facilities to keep trading as its existing lease ends at the end of the month.

It intends to use the current lobby as a board game store and the old church and the social hall will be used for gaming activities.

Social activities relating to computer games would take place here daily, players may also rent the consoles per hour, and there will also be a card game room at the back of the ground floor.

The only exterior modification suggested is the construction of new glazed doors at the entrance to the street.

As per the planning application, the gaming center will be “a productive improvement of the property that boosts the social network around London Road.”

It states: “The focus for board games and PC games supports and promotes the emerging creative digital and IT cluster in Brighton area.”

“The proposed civic center will produce a community venue that suits the transformed area’s visionary appeal.”

“Furthermore, the gaming activities the Dice Saloon is currently hosting can draw hundreds of spectators. Their events bring more people from all over the UK and even from Europe to Brighton.

“It would certainly have a positive effect on nearby enterprises including the hotels, restaurants, cafes, and other cultural and tourist locations.”

Dice Saloon has around 20 employees at its current place and forecasts that an additional 30 individuals may need to be recruited if it will be relocated to London Road.

Public Commentary

In the past few days, 60 people have made remarks in favor of the proposal, many of whom are anonymous and several of them claim that they use the current center of Dice Saloon.

One even said, “Dice Saloon encourages to support the local gaming industry by bringing together young and old people from all walks of life to take part in a wide range of tabletop leisure activities.

Another individual said, “The place is welcoming, polite, enjoyable and strategically valuable to me and several others as a gaming venue and store.”

One of their customers added, “I loved spending my time here, just like my kids. Moving to London Road would also put Dice Saloon on the map. Everybody knows where London Road is.