SOUTHAMPTON board gaming cafe Board in the City is calling for support as managers struggle to keep the venue open.

The organisation - which has more than 200 games for customers to play at the Onslow Road venue - opened in early 2016 but, as previously reported by the Daily Echo, managers launched a fundraising appeal last August to boost income. 

Hayley Binstead, 45, who set up the gaming venture, at the start of 2016 has even sold her house to help finance the venture but was relying on the outcome of a grant due at the end of February 2017 to enable them to pay staff wages. 

Last week a post on cafe’s Facebook page said: “We are not in the position to carry on with our current income. 

“If we do not get more support along with extra changes, we will have to close. 

“Straight-out donations are welcomed and urgently needed, as well as more bums on seats spending when visiting. 

“Any potential decision to close will not be taken lightly, and we as the directors and team, feel you deserve as much notice as we can give you.

“It is a long ongoing battle with all who want a piece of us, and a struggle with powers that do not want to help us. Thank you to all of you who have supported us thus far.”

It comes after the closure of another city centre independent business, Notes Cafe, which was forced to close its doors in December last year.

Speaking to the Daily Echo Ms Binstead said independent venues across the city were struggling and added Board in the City had taken on various initiatives to stay afloat.

She said: “We’ve reduced our staff to six from nine, we’ve introduced a free loyalty card scheme and are thinking of asking for donations like some churches do. 

“And up until last summer we were paying the rates of a pub, but in August the valuations officer came to see us and said we should be charged as a community hall.

“But the council ignored that and we are now valued as a shop, even though we only take around £150 a day.”

Ms Binstead took over the former Dorchester Arms pub early in 2016 and set up the cafe as a community interest company - meaning that 65 per cent of profits go back into the community. 

Staff also run outreach programmes using the strategic board games.