Category Archives: News

Trip over from Long Eaton to my Home raised and schooled Town of Beeston Nottingham .
To re-cloth in Strachan 6811 Tournament Cloth …Not as popular a club for Snooker these days .
More of an Entertainment club for weekend shows now .
But they do still wish to provide the facilities of Snooker & Pool and even Bar Billiards in this Social club
Re-clothed 5 years ago , now well due , we start to transform them over the coming year one at a time.
First up Table 1 , an old Billiard top plate table circa pre 1895 .
We will be visiting again around April / May time for the far table to be done .
And then at the end of the year for the middle table .
We may also be changing table one cushions to a more modern cushion and pockets .
As I do have a nice set of cushions taken from another table which will be a nice upgrade for them and cost effective once plugged and drilled to fit this table .

In Beeston we have seen closures of a few Clubs and places with Full Size snooker Tables since Mid 1970s , for instance these are the places that do not have Tables anymore or reduced them within the Beeston borough boundary , due to cost cutting or closed down and demolished

Beeston Billiard hall villa Street 10 full size tables gone . = Demolished for Flats
Plessey Club 4 Full size tables gone , Demolished for Houses
Fire Station one full size gone .. now a very large high rise STUDENT FLATS for Nottingham Uni . Nick named Little china due to how many Chinese students are at Nottingham and living in Beeston .
Beeston Fields Golf Club 2 full size gone , more of a Golf and Wedding Venue now
I think British legion has gone down to one table so one full size gone from there , still going JUST .
Ambulance station closed 10ft gone from here
Lenton Abbey Essoldo Beeston demolished 16 full size Tables gone
Conservative club three full size , down to two so one gone
Manchester unity club one full size gone .
Chilwell high road not in Beeston but just outside , but village hall has one full size gone too .

I may have missed some out as we had Beeston Boilers and other large firms in the area that may have had tables .

That’s 38 Full size snooker tables gone from Beeston in my time as a Billiards fitter .
( Not Counting all the private houses that had a full size snooker table like Beeston Fields Drive )

on the plus side , one of the Plessey Tables survived to Chilwell Golf Club
the 3rd table that came from Conservative club to a Private House in Beeston .

so I am happy that a club like the Victory Club in Beeston is doing something to maintain Snooker as a viable
sport in Beeston , even if on a budget …as they say Use it or Lose it .

A few photos of a table we set up for a client ( Gary ) and the work that we carried out on it .
We dismantled and collected this table for our client which he stored at his old house shed /Garage lock up , while his new build snooker room at his new house was being built .
We returned and Gary had polished up the table which was already in good condition having been restored by Burroughs and watts in 1959 .
We estimate that the table is circa 1920s , give or take 10 years each way .
We set the table back up , leveled the frame , and place the slates on and filled the joints , we then re-rubbered the steel cushions in best yellow dot Northern rubber .
We cut the pockets opening using the old B&SCC templates as a guide .
We then re-clothed the cushions in Hainsworth thicker smart cloth , thicker because they would wear out quick if we put match cloth on the cushions . Cushions take a lot of hammer for the balls so for longer life we and other billiard fitting firms always use the thicker alternative cloth on the cushions .
We put Hainsworth match cloth on the slate bed for speed .
and replaced the nets and leathers with Peradon UK quality nets and leathers , we put the nylon plastic rails on because metal rails rings wear out nets very quick , the plastic ring rails the nets last three times as long .
Have a look at the photos , for stage by stage install and fitting .

We left an end badge GCL Billiards for our client to fit if he wishes to the end cushion that does not have the Burroughs and watts plate on it . We would never fit a badge on without permission .

The Burroughs and watts plate fitted in 1959 we think , which is not the original steel vacuum plate badge .
as you can see was larger and has been filled in with a bit of oak insert .
The steel cushions had B59 stencilled on them which I have been informed was the last time it was re-rubbered and new blocks fitted .
Also the old rubber we took off was manufactured in 1958 as that had a date code of 58 FSM
Which means 1958 Full size moulded rubber .

Not sure what the 1123 stands for , but to the left is B&W = Burroughs & Watts
I – 58 we think January 1958 when the rubber was manufactured … FSM = full size Moulded .
And on the back of the steels was B59 = last refurbed 1959 in B&Watts workshops .

The table before Gary purchased it , in its own billiards Garden Room in a very large country house
installed here in 1959 . note old Burroughs and Watts Lighting .

Back around the 16th December , At my age I take a few breaks in the sun .
I am also booked out now right up to to mid January and a few days are booked out after that too .
So I cannot take any more work on Before Christmas or New year .
Most fitters I know are now Fully booked out at this time of year
so you will find it very hard to find a fitter free for that Christmas table re-cloth or dismantle and move to relocate .
Same goes for Pool tables too , they are all booked out , you only have to read the web sites and Forums to see this .
I will be taking my phone with me but will not answer it for work related calls .
My Daughter is also at Home looking after the house and Dogs , but will not answer phone calls for Business line .

We have a client with a very nice home , that is now wishing to sell their very nice modern turned leg
full size Snooker table with Victorian repro lights .
the table when purchased new was a very expensive choice of table and lighting .
We have carefully dismantled the table and bubble wrapped all wood parts .
The table is now stored on site just below Manchester in what is known as the Footballers area .
Sir Alex Ferguson lives just up the road .
As you can see the wood work is not in bad condition and the lights are Victorian reproduction copies .
We are going to list this at a price that is very good buy for the buyer .
The table may require a re-cloth , the rubber is very good for rebound value and the nets and leathers are in good order .
You may wish to choose a re-cloth when you have it set back up or just fit the original cloth if that is ok for you .
If you wish for a price for a collection and set up …please ask Geoff at GCL Billiards for a price giving your current full post code to a Ground floor installation only .
The price of the table and lights do not include delivery and set up .

The table is £1350 or Very close offers , there are a few accessories with the table , long rests and balls and triangle etc .
The Grand Victorian reproduction lighting is £850 or Very close offers .

You could send your own courier to pick up the table then have a quote from any choice of Billiards firm to set the table up for you , or you could ask for a quote for an entire package to collect deliver and install from GCL Billiards who have 49 years personal experience of fitting billiard / Snooker and pool tables in fact any cue sports table .

Please study the following photos , which shows the actual table and lighting , plus how it has been professionally dismantled and store in one of the Dry garages on site by GCL Billiards .

All inquiries to Geoff or Carol Large at …..GCL billiards please .

c.large@btinternet.com

Sorry to say but it is that time of year and work load has now taken me to the point of no return of finding spare hours never mind days to fit more work in .
I am now available to book new work in ….only from next …. January 7th 2026 onwards

SOLD AT AUCTION

We can take our time finding the right buyer for this Scoreboard .
They do not come up for sale as complete and in such good condition complete with lower ball cabinet and penny slots often like this .

The object of the game is you have three lives , revealed when you slide out each section , hidden is a star that you pull out if you lose all three lives , every player places a penny in their clot in the lower cabinet , if you lose the three lives , you buy a star life for an extra penny in your slot , as each slot can take up to two pennies, and you can see through the glass if a player has paid for an extra life .
The winner takes all the pennies and pays the marker a penny .

A fantastic talking point in your billiard / Snooker room , an appreciating antique and priced way below its true value when you compare what others are asking for them .

As a comparison on how competitive this sale is …….. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176914049044

So priced to sell at just £1000 NO OFFERS , first come first served .

Sale is direct from private seller , based in Nottingham , buyer collects .

All inquiries to …. c.large@btinternet.com

NOW SOLD AT AUCTION LISTING .

Here we have a very nice Genuine Rotating cue rack
*Please note Cues are not included

Now you can buy a reproduction in low cost wood for around £500 and it would be very poor quality
I have seen cue racks like this Antique one advertised for as much as £1950 , but that is too much and way overpriced , , the true value is around £750 to £1000

SEE £1950 one here which is almost the same rack…….. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205500976453

So my Client is asking the bottom price for this cue rack of just £750
Sale is due to a bereavement and the process of the deceased Estate
GCL Billiards is acting as the sales agent , and to place what we think is a come and get me price

photo below , please note scoreboard and cues not included
it is just the cue rack here that is for sale .

if anyone is interested in the George wright score board above the cues that is £150 and that’s a great price too .

And the two end billiard cushion markers are £60 each or £100 for both .