A pair of young chess aficionados have reopened Epsom Chess Club, which shut down decades ago.

Marcus Gosling, 24, a chess teacher from Elmshorn in Epsom Downs, and Ravi Sharma, 23, a data analyst from Teddington, met while they were on Kingston Grammar School’s chess team.

Together, they are hoping to reverse the trend of chess clubs closing across Surrey and make British chess more widely accessible.

Mr Gosling said: “Chess is gradually dying as a sport or a mental sport so we think it’s an extraordinary thing to take on.

“We just recently had our inauguration. There was a guy there who is going to play with us this year. He played for the original Epsom chess club in the sixties.

“The age range of the players in Surrey is quite high and there’s not that much of an influx from young players.

“We wanted to prove that it could be done. A lot of people told me that it was impossible to start a new chess club because of the lack of people.”

Epsom chess club is open to players of all ages and abilities. It will be held every Monday at The Rising Sun Pub on Heathcote Road from 7.30 pm, starting in September.

Find out more on www.epsomchessclub.com.