Compendia

Compendia is one of those little independent shops that make Greenwich market a little different. Selling traditional games and puzzles, this is a toyshop that has bypassed the modern world of Playstation and Gameboy and harks back to gentler times with a wide selection of boardgames and jigsaws. They stock all the obvious, of course - your Monopolies and your Backgammons, your Cluedos and your Risks, but they also cater for the slightly more specialist boardgame enthusiast with modern classics such as Ticket to Ride, Alhambra, Pueto Rico, Citadels and my personal favourite, the Settlers of Catan card game.

There's an equally wide choice of jigsaw and other puzzles, basic "bits" and components - no need to worry if you've lost the "men" from Snakes and Ladders - nicely-made wooden games and, of course, a huge selection of poker gear and classic playing cards. Generally they're very knowledgeable about what's going on in the games scene but they don't always have an up-to-date selection if you're a dedicated gamer. If they haven't got what you want they will order it for you - though the last time I did that, they actually forgot to tell me that the game I'd ordered was in - the first thing I knew about it was when I passed by and saw it in the window...

Generally, if you're a massive gamer, this won't be quite as exceptional as the major games stores in town - but most people will find something good there - and I always look inside whenever I go to the market. Long may they survive.