Bay Games in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, has launched dedicated sessions for home-educated children, creating a safe and welcoming environment for families who learn outside traditional classrooms. The unique tabletop gaming café, LEGO, and hobby store has become a beloved community hub since opening in 2023, winning the Toy Shop of the Year 2026 award.
From Personal Collection to Community Hub
Owners Keiren Bradwell and partner Freya Hepburn started with Keiren's personal collection of 130 games. Today, the store boasts over 700 games available for visitors to try and play. The core philosophy is simple: games bring people together. The store's identity revolves around togetherness, fun, and community, allowing customers to explore new games in a comfortable, supportive setting.
Bay Games faced a major challenge when it lost its original premises, a setback that could have closed the business. However, the local community rallied to raise funds, move the business, and build new interiors, demonstrating the deep connection between the store and its customers.
Home Education Sessions: A Lifeline for Families
The idea for home-ed sessions came from Keiren's earlier experience as a hairdresser, when a customer told him about the lack of resources for home-educating families. The previous premises were too small, but after moving, Keiren made the dream a reality. He said: “It’s a passion project that we wanted to do just to give people somewhere to be.”
The shop is usually closed on Mondays, but Keiren opens from 12pm to 3pm for home-ed families, charging £5 for the full session. Children start with LEGO to regulate and calm down, then move on to board games. The LEGO, Keiren noted, “made it more accessible.” When the community group launched on Facebook, 140 parents joined within four days.
Building Community and Support
Parents have found the sessions invaluable. One parent said: “It’s been a lifesaver meeting other mums because you don’t feel so alone.” Amy from Wallsend, a local business owner, brings her children Imogen and Josh. She said: “A big thing for me is the friendships they leave in mainstream school and about maintaining and developing new friendships and they’ve done that already.”
Naomi from Bedlington appreciates the screen-free environment for her sons Ewan and Theo. She said: “With the LEGO and the board games the kids were engaged from the off and it’s really low demand.” Many children attending have special educational needs (SEN), and the store’s calm atmosphere is a key benefit.
Inclusive and Understanding Environment
Keiren and his colleague Joe, an ex-teacher, have personal experience with SEND and neurodivergent children. Keiren said: “Generally any place they have when schools are not in, they lose. We’re going to protect that, so we’re going to keep our Mondays closed except for this particular session so it's constant. For those with neurodiversity routine is key.”
The sessions also allow parents to network and support each other. Naomi said: “The parents being able to network when one person wobbles the others pick them up.” Amy added: “The guys who run it are just brilliant, they get involved with the kids and they really understand.”
Recognition and Future
Bay Games’ dedication to community was recognized with the North East Toy Shop of the Year 2026 award. Keiren said: “I just wanted to make sure that as part of this community, we’re giving something to people in this community.” The store continues to grow, with plans to expand its outreach and sessions.
