Inside new Bicester games cafe which opened this month

Phil Walley opened Noughts and Nibbles in the former HSBC bank on Sunday, March 1.

The building, which was built in 1920 and has been home to a bank for more than 100 years, is not listed but is within the conservation area.

The 51-year-old from Abingdon was inspired by a four-hour family trip to Snacks and Ladders, a games cafe in the Isle of Wight.

While driving back from the cafe, he spoke about what he and his wife would do if they won the lottery.

He said: “Sadly I didn’t win the lottery but when we said we wanted to open the cafe, I didn’t ask anymore, in case she changed her mind, so I just went ahead and did it. That was almost exactly a year ago.”

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While he has used AI to help him learn new skills during his first business and renovation project, he said “people are irreplaceable”.

“This is all completely new to me”, he said.

“It’s the first time I’ve put up a stud wall, put up a ceiling or levelled a floor. There’s been a lot of lessons I have had to learn and fairly quick.”

Phil Walley, founder of Noughts and Nibbles (Image: Oxford Mail)

Mr Walley, who was born in Belgium and moved to Suffolk when he was 11-years-old, has also taken inspiration from his previous careers working as a chef, a police constable, a teacher and in cyber security for 18 years.

He said: “I always wanted to own my own business and when I turned 50 I knew I had to do it now. As I worked as a chef, I have kitchen experience and I’ve got teaching experience so I can host events and explain games to people.

“All those pieces came together and it made sense.”

Blood on the Clocktower, a social deduction game like ‘The Traitors’ TV show, was played at the first event on Tuesday, March 17. He hopes to hold more events including a singles meet-up and dungeons and dragons in the old bank vault.

Phil Walley, founder of Noughts and Nibbles (Image: Oxford Mail)

The menu, which incudes chips, cakes and brownies from local suppliers, will be expanded to include warm foods such as toasties. Other beverages, including draught beer, are also in the works.

His brother-in-law, Jack, has created a 3D printed Noughts and Nibbles game, except the ‘O’ and ‘X’ can be overridden by larger pieces.

Mr Walley added: “What I’ve learnt from my different careers is that you’ve got to make things happen.

“If you’re determined enough, you put the effort in and you’re willing to listen and learn from other people, anything is possible.”