Category Archives: News

We have a very nice oak finish Optima Monaco pool table for sale from a private house in Edinburgh Scotland
the buyer would have to arrange to collect and dismantle themselves , and the table has to come downstairs but the good news is , it all comes apart .
lid up slate out , thin line body , and 4 bolt off legs .
I will put any buyer int ouch with our private seller , who is moving house , and is now selling the table .
I have looked at how much these Optima Monaco tables are now and they are a top range table with a price range of £1915 to £2034 at liberty Games .
I have advised our buyer that some may decide to have the table re-clothed others will make do with it as it is for a year or so .
the pool table comes with a good range of accessories .
The table if on the ground floor would be worth close to £1000 , so our guide price of £650 just for a stairs problem is very good value , some may be able to fit a slide U channel to the slate , a few blankets or a strip of old carpet and you would be able to slide the slate down bit by bit in a controlled fashion with ease .
This is how a professional fitting firm may do it and I will show photos of that with a full size table slate section which is much heavier .

Any way priced to sell quick at just £650 which is a Bargain for one of these tables .
I only sold one of these the other month with a re-cloth at £1350 , if it was closer I would have had it myself .

This last photo shows a two inch thick piece of slate with a U section slide strapped to it and behind you can see the strip of carpet we put on the stairs to slide this down bit by bit .
The same method could be used if you made a U channel to strap tot he pool slate which is 1/2 the weight of this snooker slab section .
a pool slate is 5/8th thick , the snooker slate is 2 inch thick .

Please contact Geoff at GCL Billiards , and I will put you in touch with the owner in Scotland .
This is ideal for someone up that end of the Country , most for sale are right down south .
There area few table fitting firms in Scotland who may quote you to bring this table downstairs and deliver it to a ground floor .
I do have a couple of contacts up there including Scott Mcintosh and Tayside Snooker .

Ball sets include a snooker set / pool set / cue rack / scoreboard / Brush / triangle / and 4 cues .

I have a custom made set of highly polished wood table tops in 4 sections , all bubble wrapped as taken off a table from a very nice furnished house where the table tops where very carefully handled on and off the table , the table has been sold , and we now have this set of very expensive table tops that where hand made by a joinery shop and polished , fitted with under bracing to stop dipping or warping .
My client paid around £1395 to have this hand joinery made set of hard wood trim and veneer table tops made up , when he bought the full size snooker table as an extra cost to the table .
Asking a very reasonable £495 and if local to Nottingham or Derby I will deliver .
Ask any joinery shop to make a set like this and you will find they are not low cost .
I have two sets of hard wood tops , I have only ever had one set up for sale before these , they are rare to find , and when you do some are nothing more than rough bits of 8×4 from the wood yard bare wood just slung over the table .
I did get someone inquire for a set a few months back but never took their number as I said they rarely come up for sale , then this past month two sets come up .
This set is £495 cash sale . the other set is a bit lower at £250 , take your choice , if you are not fussed about polished wood then go for the silver ones they are also a very well made set , but if you like to see a bit of craftmanship and polished wood grain these are the ones for you .
and as can be seen from the photos they are as mint condition as you will find a set .
and to keep them like that I bubble wrapped them on site , they are now at my own home in storage in Long Eaton Nottingham wrapped ready for collection or delivery if close by .

I have a client who has sold his table and now has a rare to find 4 section table cover in silver finish
Cloth underlined to protect cushion capping’s frieze and cushion cloth .
Simple sale £250 buyer collects .
You cannot make them for this kind of money , buyer to arrange collection from Walsall
Table is going tomorrow Saturday the 16th , table 4 section top are available from after this date .

PRIVATE SALE DIRECT FROM THE SELLER . collection to be arranged from High Wycombe , please read more >>>>>

We do not get many 10fts come up for sale and when they do , they normally sell very fast , especially if priced sensibly taking into account what it would cost to have one dismantled and delivered and set back up , so this one has been very Fairley priced and comes with all accessories as shown .
My client thought this was a 3/4 size but it is a bit larger than that , 9ft is 3/4 size , this one is a rear size to find at 10ft .

*** The table also comes with a hard top cover as used by the selling client as a dining table
Light is also included .

Size: 323 cm (L) x 174 cm (W) x 82 cm (H)

Slate bed

3-piece wooden dining top cover

Overhead green snooker light

Full set of cues and rests

Multiple sets of balls

Cue rack

Traditional scoreboard

Triangle and accessories

Not sure on rubber rebound value in cushions , but it definitely could do with a re-cloth and maybe new nets and leathers if required at same time .

The table is based in High Wycombe , and we could quote for the dismantle , traveling and setting back up if on ground floor at both ends . we could also recommend a firm if you collect and needed a fitter closer to you .
Contact Geoff at GCL Billiards for more information .

Been up to the north Lincolnshire – Notts border today just east of Doncaster .
Work involved the strip down of cushions and re-rubber and make the pockets the same size as a Star Table to WPBSA template openings as used on TV tournaments .
Using best Northern Rubber by Hainsworth .
Then a re-cloth in Strachan 6811 tournament cloth 30 oz .
The table was an old Hixon & sons with thick Welsh slate and a good solid frame .
With recessed into capping cushion cloth retaining slot to mimic steel cushions .
The table I think is circa turn of the century 1899 /1910 period .
There is some history to the table , as there are some paper labels to the cushions from the 1940s re-rubber , stating it belonged to a School in Leeds , called East Moor School in an area called Adel .
On looking up this school I find it was a Reform approved school for wayward Boys , which first opened its doors in 1857 . it was closed down around the 1970s I think .
This table went through a refurb by an unknown firm in 1985 having another re-rubber , but the pockets where all over the place in sizes .
My Client bought the table with the house so inherited it around 6 years ago .
My client who is a WPBSA coach wanted uniformity and as close to WPBSA size as possible .
Which I pulled this one off bang on , as you can see the templates fit snug to the angles .
It is a pity that the WPBSA do not allow Billiard fitters outside World Snooker , to have these templates , I had to rely on some very accurate copies of templates to do this work .
Something I think the WPBSA should look into , they do a lot of good work promoting snooker and the training of coach’s , but do not let the Billiard Fitters access to WPBSA templates , we have to rely on copies .
If there is no uniformity in the Tables , then younger generation are learning to play on Club pockets or Buckets as we call them .
We used to have the B&SCC templates , Billiards & control council , which are a little larger opening , and some like their tables to have that size , I just would like to offer both sizes and do it with proper templates , it looks more professional .
They could be made low priced on 3D Printers and then offered to proper time served Billiard fitting firms .

To add further to this story , I contacted a 3D printer service in Scotland who did make these WPBSA 2005 templates , and these are exact to my own wood ones , so I had him custom make me a set based on the 2005/6 Templates which are as close to what is used today give or take the thickness of a piece of paper each side or 2 MM at most .
As you can see they are more professional looking than my old Wood one .
and going forward will use these now for anyone wishing to have as close to professional size pockets .

Superb condition and priced to sell .
complete with accessories shown in the photos below . including light and iron .

If there was ever a Rolls Royce of billiard table makers then George wright would be it .
a lot of people go on about Burroughs and watts tables being the best , but ask any Billiards fitter who has worked on George Wright tables and they are made to a higher degree of workmanship .
thicker wood for the frames for a start , they where the first firm to use concealed pocket plates around 1895. and most have huge turned and carved legs , Reeded legs or fluted where the most favoured leg design along with tulip , which most firms used , but George wright made their tulip legs with more carving segments as can be seen in this example .
other billiard companies spaced the tulip carvings wider so they where easier to produce and less work . Tulip leg = a tulip flower opening upside down ..can you see it in the photos ?

Below a brief history from the snooker heritage site , please read more info of George Wright on that site if you wish .
George Wright & Co. (founded 1868) was a prominent London-based manufacturer renowned for early innovations in convertible billiard-dining tables, often featuring special adjusting screws for height regulation. They were also known for producing high-quality rollover tables and for being among the first to hold Royal Warrants from King Edward VII. snookerheritage.co.uk 

Key Achievements and Specializations:

• Convertible Tables: They specialized in billiard dining tables and bagatelle tables early in their history, with advertisements for these in 1870.
• Rollover Tables: Along with George Edwards, George Wright was an early maker of “rollover” snooker tables between roughly 1890 and 1920.
• Royal Appointments: By the late 19th and early 20th century, George Wright tables were favored by royalty, specifically Edward VII (when Prince of Wales) and later King George V.
• Exhibition Success: They won multiple gold medals in the 1880s at international exhibitions in Australia .

George Wright was a major competitor to established makers like Thurston and Burroughs & Watts by the turn of the 20th century, especially favored after Queen Victoria’s passing in 1901 .

Please visit the Snooker Heritage site to see what Peter Ainsworth the author has written about George Wright the billiards firm

link here https://snookerheritage.co.uk/articles/geo-wright-co/

My selling client is now selling this very nice condition table , which has been renovated at some point in its life so should play very well , as you can see the table is from a very grand house and the sale is through my clients PA . who I am in correspondence with .
I have explained the costing to my selling clients that a buyer would have to pay on top of any price of the table to have it relocated , so we have agreed a selling price of just £1500 for this grand piece of Billiards furniture .
If any buyer would like a quote to have the table relocated from its ground floor room to another Ground floor room then GCL Billiards would be happy to quote , but the buyer is free to choose any billiards firm in the country .
please study thy following photos of the actual table .
An early table from its 13 gold medal ivory cushion badge , and circa I think around 1889 onwards ?
I will find out from Peter Ainsworth on that date as he is the Billiards Historian on plates and dating , I am going from the none top plate pocket plates which where not used after 1895 , but here we see an earlier 1889 table design with later 1895 concealed plates , what I think has happened is George wright has taken the cushions in and recapped the cushions for concealed plates or made a later set of cushions and reused the ivory badge .
this was not uncommon as designs change and people wanting the newer design of 1895 concealed pocket plates without having to change the table .
so on this table we date it by the Badge and not the pocket plates .
I did notice from the photos of the highly flamed mahogany capping’s to the cushions
seen in the first photo , they may have upgraded that too .
a very desirable George wright table with history . have you a nice room for this table , this would make a very nice statement to a larger household.

Yes, the SAM Balmoral pool table features a “ProActive” cushion system designed to emulate the performance of steel block cushions found on professional snooker tables.

These are £4499.00p on john parrot sports web site , my client says the cloth is a bit bobbly so it will require a re-cloth . although no rips are in the cloth . it was just the wrong choice of cloth when fitted .

Or if you are happy with it use it as is for a while as it is , if you wish just to buy it then save for a re-cloth at a later date .

My client is looking for just £1500 for the table A BARGAIN PRICE for one of these as it stands on site .
NOW REDUCED TO MAKE A REASONABLE OFFER !

I relocated this table for my client a couple of years ago from his fathers house .

And noted then it was in extremely good condition .

As an extra a re-cloth can cost anywhere between £350 and £450 depending on cloth grade and colour .

The price of the table is as it stands on site with its original cloth on it , the buyer is responsible to organise the dismantle and loading onto their van to take away .

This table is a free play table finished in Oak .

See photos for shade of oak finish cabinet and legs .

7ft

Exterior Dimensions – 214cm x 122cm

Slate Dimensions – 186cm x 94cm

Weight – 250kg

Even if you paid for a re-cloth the price would still be below £2000

and a whopping saving of around £2500 from new price .

Sam pool tables are built like a tank , where more lower cost UK tables are made from low cost materials , these SAM tables made in Spain are made from the best materials , and therefore cost over twice as much as say a supreme winner the market leader here in the UK , you may even see these SAM Balmoral tables for sale over £5000 , but John parrot was the lowest price I could find of £4499.00p

I have a few clients who swear by the quality of their Balmoral or Atlantic 7ft pool table .

The Balmoral in my opinion is made for the Home with its modern rounded look , while the Atlantic with its sharper angled lines and faceted diamond chrome embellishments is for industrial pool hall use .

The Atlantic looks more fun fair bling table

The Balmoral just sits right for in the Home .

If you would like a bespoke dismantle loading , traveling unloading and erect on site with a re-cloth of choice , then GCL Billiards will quote for this Ground floor to Ground floor only .

The table is located close to Loughborough / Leicester area . and is on a ground floor room .

I have the best Hainsworth cloths in stock even stock Ultimate pool in teal .

PLEASE NOTE , the cost of a re-cloth and removal delivery and set up is not included in the £1500 price of the table , for a quote for these extras please contact Geoff at GCL Billiards for a quote giving post code in full and NO STAIRS .

Been local very close to Belvoir Castle to renovate the Riley Snooker table of Mark , a returning client .
A table I moved from a neighboring village to him and owned then by a well known Sky TV sports reporter .
of which I moved the table for him also a few years back .
Well the cushions where a bit dead the last time I relocated the table , having had some inferior cushion rubber fitted to it around the early 1980s .

The best snooker / billiards rubber to fit to a table is Northern Rubber , used to be made in Retford Nottinghamshire , but now manufactured all in house out in Malaysia but still to the old Nottinghamshire N.R. based specification , and owned and run by Hainsworth a UK Leeds firm .
Photo above my gluing board , allows all 6 rubbers backing to be covered in glue in one go .
Rubber is sanded to give a key to the gluing surface , before glue is applied .

The cushions stripped and cleaned of old rubber and glue , rebate sanded to give a key to surface
and coated with glue .

Cloth of choice and asked for by this client was Strachan 6811 Tournament 30 oz weight .
all pure new wool .
I do give my Clients a choice of cloth and colour and grade and advise then to the play to expect
form the different brands and thickness and grades and cloth mix .
2 main cloth firms I use are Strachan and Hainsworth …both I am please to say UK manufacturers of the highest grades of Billiards cloth .

Mark standing , looking at the finished table , he was delighted in the cloth colour , and the workmanship
The table is located in a out building .

Looks very nice with the new nets and leathers .

Centre pockets flush to slate fall , some fitters do struggle to achieve this , but you will find that Time served fitters do work to this high quality .
We have seen some shocking work by so called fitters , based all around the UK , so be careful who you employ to dot he work for you , I was sent one photo only this week by a fitter and he found a shocking attempt to do a re-cloth and pull the cloth nice and neat down the fall .

As an example of what we may find on a table from previous fitters work .

To finish off , Mark was that pleased with the work he let me fit one of our GCL Billiards name plates on the Black ball end of the table .