Two Years at Unit 96: What Happens Next

In “Why We Built a Dedicated Wargaming Venue”, we explained the thinking behind Unit 96 and the challenges of combining a retail business with a gaming venue. In our subsequent two-year review, we shared your feedback and the improvements we were working on.

Together, those pieces asked two important questions: what do people value about MMG, and what does it take to keep providing it?

We’ve now completed a wider review of the business, how the venue is being used and where our time needs to go.

After Christmas, we’ll stop running MMG-branded organised play and put that time into delivering a better retail experience, both online and in store.

The shop is staying open. Our existing opening hours are staying the same. Saturday opening will go ahead in the new year, and tables will still be available to book for your own games.

A shop, a venue and something of a club

MMG has been a hybrid: a retail business providing the space, facilities and much of the organisation you might normally associate with a gaming club.

The idea was that the two sides would support each other. Retail would help fund a proper place to play, while the venue would bring people together around the games and models we sell.

That has created friendships, memorable games and a community we’re proud of. It has also brought competing demands on our time. Running the shop and website is one job; planning tournaments, promoting events and managing leagues is another.

In the earlier article, we said we felt the model was moving in the right direction. Having since looked more closely at the finances, regular table use and the time involved, we’ve concluded that the balance needs to change.

Why are we making this change?

Our tables haven’t been used consistently enough to sustain the level of work we’ve put into running and growing organised play. At the same time, too much of our attention has gone into that work at the expense of retail.

Your feedback showed how much people value the welcome, friendly opponents and sense of community at MMG. We value those things too. But we also need to make decisions that allow the business to support itself.

We need to give the shop and website more attention. Stepping away from running our own organised play programme gives us the time to do that properly, while keeping the space available for people to arrange their own games.

What happens to the Autumn leagues?

The Autumn leagues will finish as planned on 13 December 2026. We’ll see the current season through before making the change.

After Christmas, MMG will no longer run its own tournaments, leagues or other organised play.

Can we still come and play?

Yes. Our tables will remain available to book for your own games, with the terrain and space you’re used to.

You can still arrange a game through Discord, meet your mates and spend a session rolling dice at Unit 96. You don’t need an MMG event to get a game in.

Are the opening hours changing?

Our existing opening hours are staying the same. Saturday opening will also go ahead in the new year, following the interest you showed in more weekend access in our community survey.

We’ll confirm the Saturday arrangements nearer the time.

What about the improvements in the two-year review?

Those improvements still matter. We’ve brought weekday opening forward to 5:30pm, made improvements to the terrain and have been working on the website and product listings.

We’ll continue putting time into making MMG easier to shop, with clearer product information, better website navigation and clearer stock availability.

The change is that we won’t be building an MMG-run events and league programme around our opening hours. You’ll still be able to shop, meet friends and book tables for games you arrange yourselves.

Is the shop staying open?

Yes — both online and at Unit 96.

We’re changing how we spend our time so that we can deliver a better retail experience. The change being announced here is specifically the end of MMG-run organised play after Christmas.

Thank you

Looking back over two years at Unit 96 has meant celebrating what’s worked and being honest about what needs to change.

Thank you to everyone who has helped build the community: our volunteer referees, league players, tournament visitors, regular gamers and everyone who has welcomed a new face. We’re grateful for the time and enthusiasm you’ve put into MMG.

We hope you’ll keep shopping with us, and we look forward to seeing plenty of you rolling dice here in the new year.

Keep it Mighty!