The Movie Shack in Bexleyheath offers free activities for children

The Movie Shack, located at Broadway Shopping Centre, gives children and adults the opportunity to meet new people and play tabletop games, mostly free of charge.

The business venture began when Lorraine lost her previous job due to having seizures and then started to create and sell jewellery.

At the time, Lorraine’s husband was looking for wholesalers, and after combining their love for comic cons and “all the geeky kind of sides of life”, the couple started to sell Funko Pops.

This business grew throughout the covid-19 lockdown, and Lorraine then saw Bexleyheath advertise to small businesses to open a shop in the community.

Lorraine told the News Shopper: “All our stock is now geeky – we sell Disney, posters, bags, Funko Pops, and much more.

“We set up the board game area and have more than 100 board games for people to play.

“Since opening the café, we have gone from strength to strength.”

From games such as Dungeons and Dragons to Magic: The Gathering, to Disney Lorcana to Warhammer, The Movie Shack is open seven days a week and offers children a “safe place” to hang out after school.

Lorraine added: “We started doing free after school clubs, because we know loads go and hang out in Bexleyheath.

“But obviously, there are also children who don't want to go and hang out at the clock tower, and they want to go somewhere and do activities.

“There's not a lot of places around here that they can go, and they're always expensive.

“So, we kind of wanted to offer a safe space that is affordable.”

Aside from certain activities, the majority of games are free of charge, and staff at The Movie Shack also let people come and trade cards and teach people how to build decks and play – all for free.

Not only is the café free for children, but adults too, as people are encouraged to join the community and have fun.

Lorraine said: “I think we've helped a lot of people - a lot have come to us and said their mental health has improved.

“Also, we have a lot of children on the spectrum who come in and it's getting them to socialise and giving them a safe space.

“We would like to do it for more children because we have our own children - we know the struggles that parents go through especially during this climate and cost of living crisis.

“We’re always welcome and open to everyone.”

Lorraine says her two children are in the café “all the time” and her 15-year-old son especially never wants to go home.

“My son has always struggled with his social skills”, Lorraine added, but since opening the café, he has now has a huge friend group.

Lorraine explained: “His friends are all different ages – some are younger, some are older, and some are his age.

“It's just opened up opportunities for him”.