Draughts’ board game cafe at 41 Kingsland High Street, between Haggerston and Dalston, has closed. It shut in January 2026, and the Draughts website now sends visitors to its two other London cafes. The building, a former pie and mash shop with a listed interior, is now a bar called The Black Eel.
Where to play instead
Draughts Stratford
5 Aquatics Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2AS.
The closest Draughts to Hackney is in the Olympic Park, next to Westfield Stratford City.
Draughts Waterloo
Arch 16, Leake Street, SE1 7NN.
The original Draughts is in a railway arch in the Leake Street graffiti tunnel, a short walk from Waterloo station.
Prices
- Off-peak, weekdays until 4pm: £7.95 per person
- Peak, weekday evenings from 4pm, weekends and bank holidays: £9.95
- Children under 12: free. Ages 13 to 17: £4 off-peak, £5 peak
The fee covers the whole library of more than 1,000 games, for up to three hours. Staff will recommend and explain games. Booking is recommended at weekends. Outside food and drink are not allowed.