Category Archives: News

We are a Snooker and billiards firm based in the East Midlands .
We like to keep local if we can but do travel if the work returns the effort of that Travelling .
Snooker table re-clothing to a high standard by Geoff Large who has over 42 years personal experience as a billiards fitter.

Please do not mistake the difference to a time served Billiards fitter to a pool table renovation engineer  .
A billiards fitter has to undergo years of learning and crafting his experience to deliver an acceptable grade of work .
Some Pool table engineers do not know how to re-cloth a full size table or install one properly .
so always look for a time served billiards fitter to work on your cue sports table .

For example just bolting a table frame together and slinging the slate son is not acceptable .
The frame had to undergo some time spent getting it level before the slates even go near the frame .

Only then should the slates be placed on the frame and positioned .

then the fine levelling can be made of the slates before the joints are set and the cloth can be fixed to the slate bed .

then you can fit the bed cloth , on this table it was the original bed cloth re-stretched back on
If your cloth is in good order it can be re-stretched back on .

And stretched tightly as a drum skin .
loose cloth you run the risk of tears , and a slow table .

Once back together it is time for Play .

we also re-cloth american pool using high grade speed cloths .

we re-cloth UK pool tables such as this Supreme winner

We even clean the ball rails and inside the table .

we can use Strachan 6811

Strachan super pro speed cloth

Hainsworth Match
just three of the cloths we could use , but we can also order special cloths such as Precision Hainsworth ,

We stock the odd Supreme  pool table for Rental contracts or for sale too
there is a 6 week waiting time from the factory so we always try and keep two in stock at anyone time .

We also relocate and transport tables for our clients .

for quality work and craftsmanship talk to Geoff at GCL billiards for your Cue sports needs .
when it comes to re-clothing or new re-rubber or table moving and pool table rentals .
You can be assured you are dealing with the right firm .

Back to work after our two week holiday .
We are taking bookings for August and September as we speak .

Full size snooker tables to re-cloth , pool tables also to re-cloth .

Bring in pool tables and get ready for re -renting.

I have coming in stock  8 latest edition Green badged Winner 7ft coin operated  supreme pool tables for rental sites , try us for unbeatable rental rates which include two re-cloths a year .
These tables will be prepped and ready to rent out as from end of july

Just contact Geoff for more details of our rental contract agreements .





Superb Match play supreme winner 7ft coin op tables , fully maintained contract .
From £80 per month to £100 per month Contracts per table .
Price depends on cloth type and colour required .

Closed for business until July the 9th 2019
please contact me after this date to book work in or for inquiries .

Sorry we do not have anyone taking inquiries and no emails or phones are manned during this period .
I always switch off from work when on Holiday .
It is called relaxing and being stress free .
So please respect my privacy while I am on holiday .

Hi We are on Holiday for the next two weeks , business will reopen on 9th of July
We are pretty booked out for July and are taking bookings for august as we speak , but please contact me after the 9th of july to book work in .
My Daughters are at Home with the dogs but we are not open for business .
I do not even answer Emails or my mobile while on holiday , so anyone wishing to speak to me will have to wait until after July the 9th .

Has your precious table been affected by flooding in the last few  weeks of downpours ?
We have experience of dismantling and taking off site for store and refurb of snooker and pool tables that have been affected by water or smoke damage .

this clients rear Garden was flooding and we where sent for URGENTLY , to dismantle the Full size snooker table that would have been affected ,
But we were quick to remove it off the flooding site before serious damage could be done

As you can see it was almost there , right up to the base of the doorway to the Garden snooker room .
Pumps were brought in to get it to back down , and we dismantled the table and took it away , the water had just touched the first two legs and the carpet was sodden .
We were just in time .

The table before the flood

The table after the flood , set back up , cloth replaced due to damp conditions it shrunk being 100% wool it had to be replaced under Insurance claim .
We deal direct with Insurance company if required , giving quote to remove and deliver back to site and set back up , plus any re-cloth work
This room after drying out which took weeks , also had to have new Carpets , and new skirting and repainted .

Although I do say East midlands we also do other parts of the UK ,but we are dropping the far reach areas of the UK due to time scale and costs .
Unless the client covers those extra days costs of traveling and B&B .

I would say after retirement and closures of billiard businesses  in our area  there are now around only two ( MAYBE only ONE  fully qualified Billiard fitter  ) still operating and based within our area of Derby Nottingham and Lincoln area known as the EAST MIDLANDS .
these are proper time served Billiard table fitters with at least 30 year experience and in our case over 40 years personal experience of our main and only time served fitter  .
Be very wary of none skilled people doing this work , if they cannot put the table back up and have to call in a professional fitter as a sub contractor then why not deal direct with the experienced time served Billiards  fitter in the first place .
The none semi skilled person will not have the proper experience or Insurance cover that GCL billiards carry .
Call Geoff Large at GCL billiards for a quote , we have a full range of equipment to move tables and also a new van every 4 years .
so you can be pretty sure your table will arrive for installation .

This is typical of what we do , store on site in a garage does not take up much space
always stand slates upright leaning the back edge towards the wall , like an upright door , this will limit any chipping out of face end joint edges .
all bolts and screws to be boxed .

We also offer a bubble wrapping service .
Above our van properly loaded for even weight distribution .

A blanket wrapped table , loaded for safe transport .
We know what we are doing with over 40 years personal experience Geoff Large is a fully time served billiards fitter .
trained down from fitter to fitter since 1976  when  he first started in the billiards industry .

and you can be sure the table will be put back together professionally and ready for play .
We do not do much table moving nowadays , most of our time is spent maintaining and re-clothing , re-rubbering , new nets and leathers .
but when we get a table move , you can be sure we know how to go about it .
and we are fully equipped to do this , although we do prefer Ground floor only locations though due to our age now  .
But we will access any upstairs work before we commit to any upstair work  , but it may be that more local labour is required to get the heavy slates up or downstairs .
BELOW TYPICAL REBUILD AND HOW I GO ABOUT IT

FRAME UP AND ROUGH LEVEL

SLATES ABOUT TO GO ON

POSITION OF SLATES TAKEN FROM MIDDLE SLATE

FILLING IN SLATE JOINTS

SMOOTHING OUT SLATE JOINTS

AGAIN CHECK LEVEL

REFIT OR FIT NEW CLOTH BED CLOTH

ALWAYS TACK BED CLOTH ON

LEVELING TOE PIECES

TYPICAL AFTER CARE KIT OF IRON & PURE BRISTLE BRUSH

FINISHED SET UP , THIS ONE IN FRANCE .

NOT MY CUP OF TEA BUT THE CLIENTS CHOICE OF COLOUR

WE ALSO RELOCATE AMERICAN POOL TABLES

and Dining billiard tables

Call Geoff Large for further details of relocating snooker tables .
or any other work you may require .