Category Archives: News

Due to a large number of cancellations and the current health risks around us .
Geoff Large of GCL billiards will self Isolate until April 4th 2020
I have Not taken this decision lightly , but earning money at the risk of cross infection which in turn could leave to life threatening circumstances in the current climate just is not reward enough  .
One of those sayings of Money is not everything or you cannot put a price on health springs to mind at this time  .

We are rescheduling all the work booked in for later in the month and into April  , there have been some cancellations , mostly in the pub and club scene  , but many private people are still wishing to go ahead with re-clothing or table moves for home use .
this will be taken on board once out of isolation , I do not expect pubs or clubs to fully open before at least 1st of May
why 1st of May you ask , well lets just say if Air lines are closing until then as a public transport , I feel all other public places will be forced to follow these guidelines .
I will fully open for private dwellings work , once I have come out of the isolation period of 4th of April 2020 , public premises are another issue , and as the Government has put restrictions of opening times and periods on these type of business , then we will have to take the advice of health professionals on when the right time to return to the public workplaces on reopening day .
I am not saying I have the virus , but saying I am self isolating to make sure I do not have it or carry it .
My Wife is doing the same and my youngest Daughter .
Having just been on holiday for two weeks in Lanzerote of which there are only 3 confirmed cases in the course of two weeks on the island with no further outbreak  ,
and sharing a Air port with 1000s of  people rushing back to the UK it is safer to be sure , than just blindly ignore the situation EVERYONE is in at the moment .
In fact I would have been much safer in Lanzerote than coming back to the UK now . but Family are close to me and I would always worry what is happening to them in their hour of need as well as my own .

It is going to be hard for us , not being able to see my Grand child or other Daughter and her partner for another two weeks , but that sacrifice is to protect them , and in the long run protect my clients health by preventive measures such as self isolation and carrying hand wash and other preventive hygiene wipes and disinfection sprays  .
I do hope that we can get through all this and a cure or preventative spread cure is found quickly .
Please do not take corona virus lightly it has claimed too many lives and caused too much of a loss and hardship for family’s,  to be ignored .
And too much uncertainty , too many Job losses , and it has not finished with us for a while yet , but I am sure we will come through it and say we beat it in the end .
And only then can we start the questions why it came to be where it came to be and what caused it , and learn from it so it never happens again .
or at least be ready for it next time .

Wishing all my clients past and present , good health and happiness .

Geoff Large

Please get in touch after the 23rd of March to book work in for April
We are away from all computers and the phones during our two week holiday in Lanzerote .
I just like to switch off from work and do not take phones or have access to the internet during our holidays .

to save me looking through hundreds of Emails when I get back which is normally the case and can take me days to answer them all , please start to leave messages around the 23rd of March if you wish  to get quotes or book in work .
I am working right up to the 7th of March so cannot fit anything in before I go away .and we are booked out until April 20th week but 21st has already gone .
thank you for your inquiry or return work bookings from existing clients .
See you all when we get back from this much deserved break .

Regards

GEOFF & CAROL ….GCL Billiards .

Just had a report from Steve who manages my GCL BILLIARDS WEB SITE for me.

He informs me of some impressive stats on hits and countries that have visited my web address and viewed pages.

Here are those stats.

Hi Geoff

We are the number 1 choice for the local East Midlands and beyond for the recovering and maintenance of Snooker & Pool Tables. We have built a reputation of trust and fine workmanship, and we have many referrals for our work, please ask around the many snooker and pool clubs or local pubs or private owners of cue sports tables.  You will find there are many who recommend us as a reliable and trustworthy firm.

Geoff Large has 44 years personal experience and the 44 years are not stitched together with other fitters like other firms do to extend the look of experience.  He has actually been working for over 44 years in the trade as a billiards fitter, from working for his Uncle in the 1970s under the guidance of a qualified billiard fitter (Mick Robb) for 6 years, through to an established East Midland Billiards firm of Elston & Hopkin for over 31 years and now as an established Company owner of GCL Billiards for the last 8 years.  Geoff is enjoying it even more now than when he was employed.

While that enthusiasm is still there and Geoff is fit and able to do the work, GCL Billiards will be around for a few more years yet.  Geoff Large has no desire to retire.

He may take it a bit more slower paced now he is older in age and take the odd one day off now and again and he has had to stop doing the upstairs work involving lifting heavy tables up and down stairs.  But he will still offer the dismantle, transportation and set back up ground floor to ground floor option, along with re-clothing, re-rubber and new nets and leathers on all cue sports tables.

A taster of what we are about.

From large contract work

to privately owned tables

from busy local Pool and snooker clubs

to privately owned small pool tables

re-rubber of pool cushion

to re-rubber of full size snooker tables

Rectifying faults or tight pockets for clients

Leveling snooker tables

and pool tables to a high degree as this thickness of a £20 note shows .

to transporting full size snooker tables

and delivering our new contract rental pool tables .

we have organised some difficult installs of snooker slates

Improving tables by fitting adjustable slate bearer brackets

Re-stretching bed cloths

sewing torn cloth

and being very thorough when re-covering , cleaning the inside of the table is just as important .

From Advertising clients tables for sale on our web site so that you deal direct and no middle men fees , which means you get some Bargain buys

some tables were even advertised FREE for collection, as this one above which our new client had installed and re-covered in royal Blue in Scotland

also some bargains on old antique scoreboards such as this one which sold for just £400, direct from an advert placed on GCL Billiards web site in the for sale section .
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Above I have given you a taster of what GCL Billiards is all about. We are no hit and run or bodge it and scarper firm.

If a job is worth doing then do it right, my old boss John Hopkin had very high values when it came to working in this industry he was very well respected for it, not only from clients but from fellow billiards firms in the trade.

I like to think I run GCL Billiards on those same values.

We are entering our 8th year as a Firm and we have been busy in all that time.  We have over 40 years time served billiards fitting experience.  Do not be fooled by adverts of stitched together experience, this is a well used ploy, or other misleading advertising like bought or resurrected names of defunct and not trading any more old historic established firms to get a foothold in the market.

Go for the firm who uses their own identity and do not hide behind others’ good work and reputation from the past.  Enquire around about Geoff Large or GCL Billiards, you will find we are genuine and a firm to trust.

Geoff Large
NBSA approved billiards fitter
& Business Owner
GCL Billiards

We will now be stocking the new Black ball Limited Edition Hainsworth match cloth .

Hainsworth only supply Black ball with this cloth .
and is Exclusive to Black ball only , but Black ball are now supply the trade so you can have this limited edition cloth fitted to any make of table .

So it does not matter if you have supreme , DPT , IPA , old Hazel Grove in fact any make of table we will be able to source and re-cloth in this Exclusive cloth colour and grade .
contact Geoff Large at GCL billiards to reserve your slot for you next pool table re-cloth .
but if you should also wish to upgrade to a Black ball table , I am sure we will be able to accommodate that as well .
and offer you competitive pricing on par with any other retailer .
I will be contacting Micheala and Ross at Black ball to see what could be offered for retail by GCL billiards .

February 10th 2020  onward .

We got a full hectic week of work at Butlins plus added some job’s in around that area to pull in too .
so I will not be around to read emails all next week so do not be offended if I do not get back to you .
the run in of February is also very busy no free days , so no work can be pulled in .
March 1st week is also booked out ….then I am away for two weeks Holiday .

Now taking bookings for work in April as back end of March is almost full too