When Dominic McKenzie returned to the island after some time away he wanted somewhere to go for tabletop gaming.

But, when he found there was no place to go, he took matters into his own hands.

In December 2023, he established The Adventurer’s Tavern in Nelson Street, off Prospect Hill in Douglas.

Tabletop gaming can involve any number of board or card games but Dominic’s focus is on role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).

‘I have always hung out in places where you can play boardgames,’ he said.

‘When I was off-island I made lots of friends from places like that. But when I came back I couldn’t find anything here.

‘But there was an existing club and we would hold events at venues across the island. It became popular which encouraged me to open my open place.

‘It has been really good and it has grown mainly through word of mouth. We have built up a real community and there are lots of people looking for others into similar things.

‘One of the nicest things I see is people coming and running into someone they know but never realised they were interested in role-playing games.’

So, what exactly is D&D?

It is basically a fantasy tabletop role playing game created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first published in 1974.

It allows players to create their own characters with a dungeon master who guides them through the adventure and plays the role of all other characters.

Different sided dice are used to determine how successful an action is, whether fighting a monster or trying to sweettalk bar staff for information.

The game can meander with players collecting treasure and knowledge or players can hone in on the completing the quest.

While most people have heard of D&D, the scene has largely been on the periphery despite numerous references in films, television and popular culture.

There are now hundreds of different role playing games spanning the traditional elves and orcs worlds to sci-fi and cyber punk.

Dominic accepts there has been something of a stigma around the scene.

However, it has been boosted by the Netflix phenomenon that is Stanger Things which featured the main characters playing it at the start of the series and in the very final scene.

‘Games like D&D have always been seen as very nerdy and not something that is cool,’ he admits. ‘But that is changing.

‘Stranger Things has made it seem more socially acceptable and since the end of the final season we have had a surge in people coming in.

‘We have groups of kids coming into to play which is really good.’

‘It is a story-telling experience. There are some loose rules and you can keep a campaign going for a couple of weeks or years.

‘It sounds weird, but you can play a campaign for three years and when the character you have got to know so well dies, there is almost a sense of grief.’

But D&D is not the only game you can play at The Adventurer’s Tavern. There are dozens of other games you can rent out at the venue for a flat £3 fee. You can even just drop in for a hot drink

Trading cards are also a big part of The Adventurer’s Tavern.

‘We have trading card nights which attract around 20 people,’ Dominic explained. ‘The Pokémon evenings are particularly busy.’

But the gaming side is almost secondary to the social aspect.

‘People come down on their own and make friends here,’ Dominic said.

‘It is a lovely community. We had one couple move to the island a year and a half ago and one of the people they met here is now going to be a bridesmaid at their wedding.’

Dominic says role playing games are now being played in schools and he often has groups of kids in at the weekends.

‘Schools are realising how important the social aspect is to tabletop gaming,’ he said. ‘It can be particularly good for those who are neurodivergent because it is sociable but also has guidelines in place.

‘We have even had teachers come in and now they are running Pokémon card sessions as well.’

The Adventurer’s Tavern customer Peter Stocks has been gaming for more than 15 years.

‘The way I got into it was completely random,’ he explained. ‘While at university a group of us were playing video games and I saw a boardgame version of the sci-fi show Firefly. I wanted to get involved and that’s how it all started.

‘D&D is a difficult hobby to get into initially as it needs commitment. Most games span years or at least a number of weeks.

‘The longest running game started in 1986 and is still going 40 years later.

‘Me and my friends have made a point of meeting up every Tuesday regardless of what is going on in our lives unless we are ill or on holiday.

‘You can also do it over video calls now as well.

‘Some people have come to me to start up games for them. Believe it or not, there are people out there who make a living from being a dungeon master, charging people to help start up campaigns. Imagination is the most important part of the game.

‘I tend to come to The Adventurer’s Tavern to trade cards more than gaming.’

There is even a role playing game created by two Manx gamers Charlotte Traynor and Juan Moore.

The owner of the building which houses The Adventurer’s Tavern has submitted a planning application to change the venue into a food takeaway with some seating.

But Dominic says the venue will continue and he has been looking for other suitable places.

‘We want to stay in Douglas if possible as it has good public transport connections,’ he said.

‘We need to be out of here by September and we have a couple of places in mind. But we will certainly still be around.’

The Adventurer’s Tavern is open 2.30pm-9pm on Tuesdays, 1.30pm-9pm Wednesday to Friday, 10.30am-6pm on Saturday and 10.30am-8.30pm on Sunday. It is closed on Mondays.