A NEW cafe with a unique twist is set to open its doors to the public.

Coffee and Dice - which allows its customers to play board games while sipping on their favourite hot beverage - will be open to the public from May 22.

There will be a pre-opening weekend, accessible by tickets only, from May 20-21, which have nearly all sold out.

The Boscombe-based cafe is set to open from 10am-11pm every day at Calendula Place - a new development at Christchurch Road.

Founded by Jessica Hancock and Marc Shotter, the company has been slowly developed over the last two years. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign which has raised the £10,000 the pair needed, they have now set up shop offering more than 500 board games to coffee and boardgame-enthusiasts.

"We are a regular coffee shop, selling lattes and macchiatos, and we have 500 board games which is what makes us different," Ms Hancock said.

"We have all the classics like Cluedo and Monopoly. Then there are some games going through a bit of a golden age - they are making a bit of a resurgence."

Some of the lesser-known games on offer - which serial board game players will have heard of, Ms Hancock says - include Cult Express and The Resistance, described as 'wink murder-esque'.

Others include Ticket to Ride - "the game people are talking about" - and Pandemic, a cooperative and very difficult game where players try to save the world against deadly outbreaks.

Admission costs £4 and visitors can stay as long as they wish.

"We also have membership offering 25 per cent off and benefits such as early access," Ms Hancock added.

After having spent the last two years developing their company and travelling around with their many board games to different venues, Ms Hancock said they are excited about opening up a permanent home.