Here we have a privately owned 9ft snooker table in what can only be described as pristine condition The cloth looks unworn , it has all accessories included . And priced at £1500 Buyer arranges collection , or collects themselves All inquiries to c.large@btinternet.com Please note GCL billiards are away for two weeks of January back open on the 17th January any emails will be answered after this date . just advertising it now as 9ft’s are pretty rare to come across in this condition at this price range .
As you can see cloth looks unused , polish in good condition and nets and leathers are good too
The last two days we have been down to Havant near Portsmouth , to our selling client who wanted us to advertise the Family’s Rare Oak BCE Westbury snooker table with steel cushions , rumoured but no receipt or provenance of being used at a final in the 80’s involving Steve Davies . Not many Oak ones where produced and I seem to remember a couple of finals of various snooker competitions on TV in the 1980’s / early 90’s that did use an Oak BCE table in the Final . Just to show how rare it is to find one in oak , I have only worked on one and that is this one , yet I have worked on hundreds of Mahogany ones in the past .
this is the BCE Oak Westbury before Dismantle in Havant near Portsmouth . We dismantled and at the same time re-clothed the cushions to save time on our delivery day the next day .
Our delivery address was near Diss in Norfolk and required an overnight hotel on the way as we had been up since 6am on the road from Nottingham and got to the Hotel at Thetford Norfolk at 6pm , here you see the frame being installed and levelled before the slates where placed on top . Note the straight edge 6ft Stabila digital level and on top an Engineers level . this table was an early BCE type and had no Adjustable muntin’s ( slate bearers ) but has a thicker slate bed , that had been hand floated , a sign that it could have been used in a final as most BCE tables used slates out of the crate unfinished and not hand floated and would have been around 1/8th thinner slate . The 5 section Exact 2 inch thick Slate’s placed on the frame ready to be centralised and pinned together The Strachan 6811 tournament Cloth Fitted The finished table The cloth of choice by my client after informing him of the different grades makes and weight and wear factor . Some may have chosen a match cloth , but would not have got the years wear out of the cloth . this one sits between Match and thick Club cloth . A new set of thicker Peradon Extra Extra Broad bow leathers and high quality Peradon nets where fitted as the thin BCE ones never last long , and being out in the country of Norfolk , not an easy place to get to if they required re-placing and more to the point expensive to be called out to just do pocket leathers and nets replacement from Nottingham to Diss , it was decided to go for longer lasting materials over genuine thin BCE leathers . Not that most people would know the difference , it is well known that BCE thin leathers can last only weeks , before showing signs of splitting where the ball hits . The old set had two pocket plates that had leather’s split and discoloured pocket nets . Cloth fitted perfectly around the middle slate fall , a sign that the fitter knows how to fit cloth have a look at the tables in your own club to see if there are any deep V cut, or ballooning of the cloth or even wrinkles . It takes years to train a Billiard fitter to do this , it is not learnt overnight .The very nice matching BCE scoreboard , that came with the table . the name plate badge on the end cushion panel stating Westbury , BCE Bristol and made in England my Client was delighted with his Purchase , he had contacted me some time before with the request of a steel block Match type table and had initially stated he wanted a Riley aristocrat , until I showed him this one .
BCE tables where used as TV tournament final table by the WPBSA from 1982 to 1992 , to find if this table was used in a final I think a certain amount of looking at photos of finals and videos to see if an oak one can be found being used . The deceased father in law of the seller bought the table from Hargreaves in the early to mid 1980’s and it was understood it was a table used in a final that Steve Davies was one of the participants in that final , without the lost receipt , and any certificate of provenance , so the selling client can only say Rumoured to be used in .
My clients room is very large and has an annex room plus office space and a toilet , this building is in the garden of his house in Norfolk . BCE tables are not the easiest tables to fit , most have bolts missing around the pockets as they do not align easy and lazy fitters leave them out or the manufacture of them meant the bolt hole did not align , this one had every pocket bolt in place . but they take some aligning up to fit . we arrived around 10 am , and the table was finished by 4.00 pm We did not rush the job took the occasional tea and lunch breaks , and made sure the table was fitted correctly . BCE Westbury and Riley Aristocrat tables with steel match play cushions sell for good money , they are two of the most wanted tables requested by buying clients , but to get those higher prices they must have the steel cushions , I do get a few selling clients claiming to have steel cushions only to find they have the normal club wood cushions . A quick photo of the table by email of the pocket and cushion area , and I can inform them if it has steel cushions or not . Condition is also crucial to getting decent prices for these sort of tables and Rarity , such as Oak finished tables rather than the common Mahogany ones .
At GCL billiards , Our Movano 35cwt van can carry around 1600kg including driver passenger tools and load , and just comes within the legal load limit of a modern full size table taking care to load correctly , some older thicker welsh slate and heavy wood and cushion tables are too much to carry for this 35cwt van , and may require a larger removals van to keep within the law. 99% of modern table’s are within the legal limit for this vehicle .
GCL billiards like to keep within the law for load weights , and will not transport a table if too heavy . We also do not do stairs anymore , having been in the Billiard fitting trade since 1976 , my back is now too fragile to carry slates up and down stairs , and a couple of years ago decided no more stairs and only , Ground floor Dismantle and load , to ground floor unload and install , only a couple of steps is our rule now . we can ramp that and wheel the slates up or down 2 steps . I have done my fair share of lifting slates up and down stairs , let the younger fitters do it now , but do not be surprised if you find even young fitters will not take on this work . I now turn all stair work down , with the rule of no more than two steps .
The table has just been re-clothed then unused price is for the table as is on site NOT SET UP
if you want a price for dismantle ,load delivery and set up on ground floor , ask Geoff at GCL billiards for a quote please give him full address to deliver to to work out the miles involved .
the table is in between Northampton and Bedford . MK43 area . and is on the ground floor . be quick if you want this one relocating before Christmas as we are getting booked up fast . just remember we do not do stairs anymore any set up will have to be on ground floor and no more than two outside steps .
As you can see , the cloth looks unused , and new nets and leathers plus the wood work looks re-polished too Turned legs , table will come complete with scoreboard and accessories BUT please note the price of £500 is for the table on site , any dismantle and delivery and set up costs will be extra Please get a quote off Geoff Large at GCL billiards to arrange this . the table is just £500 as it stands buyer to arrange removal .
NOT ONE TO BE MISSED , an 8ft Billiard diner rarely come onto the market in this condition . just in time for Christmas , for the home , the man cave , or dining room . Table playing size is 8ft by 4ft . We have been assured this table is on the ground floor
We have a client based in Broadstairs Kent who is offering her 8ft diner / snooker table for sale , at this moment in time we are open to offers . The table as you can see is in immaculate condition and is a copy of an original Riley diner . It has heat protection padding table cover a wood sectional table top that removes to then reveal a 8ft by 4ft billiard / snooker table with all accessories that are seen in the photos . offers to Geoff at GCL billiards , buyer to arrange collection and removal from home .
Table with wood tops on and also protective heat padding Table with heat protection pads of showing immaculate wooden dining leaf dining top in 4 removable sections and now you can see the very nice condition cloth and all the accessories that come with the table Cue Rack Pool balls Snooker Balls 5 Cues 2 Triangles Scoreboard Brush Chalk 1 x rest
Make an offer , if I think it is reasonable for all that is on offer , i will then forward it to the selling client for approval . The table is in Broadstairs Kent , we are a billiards company that could quote for the dismantle delivery and set back up , but we are based in Nottingham and will be charging from that set off point to any round trip , for estimates of work . *** We only do Ground floor to ground floor installations , and it is up to the buyer to make sure this table will fit in the room and also that it can be passed through doorways on its side on a trolley in its 8ft 8 inch length with cushions on . but you are free to use any billiard or removal firm in the country . You do not have to use GCL billiards , but the cost of removal is not in with the selling price please take that into account when offering a price for the table as it stands on site . any removal costs will be down the Buyer .
I would like to explain without naming anyone why I turned this job down a local person contacted me to see if i would re-cloth an outside table , I quoted for a speed cloth as this is the best cloth for outdoor use . But on studying the photos I could see the wood work or shall we say Fibre board is swelling very badly , this means water has got into the construction of the fibre board and is welling it , all though my client insists this table has not got wet as it has a roof over it , but the surrounding damp and condensation is enough to effect the table like this .
As you can see this table has had some serious damp issues , this table is a DPT table I think , an early one that has removable plastic trims on the edge that clip on and off to reveal the bolts heads that you unscrew the cushions off . very often these plastic trims go hard and break up on removal they lose all pliability and are best warmed with a hair dryer to remove to make them soft . very often when you get a pool table that has been outside , the bolts rust into the cushion threads making it impossible to get the cushions off in severe cases . I have had this in the past where once you start the job you are obligated to finish it and that could mean hours of extra work trying to get the cushions off and also having to replace the damaged plastic trims if you break them on removal . this may mean ordering some ( IF THEY STILL MAKE THEM ) and revisiting using more time up that was not allowed for . Modern tables do not have the trims anymore , and use a Allen key fixing bolt accessed underneath the top surround . It is through past experience of re-clothing these tables which are not supposed to be outside even under cover . that you can come across one that will give you grief if you attempt to re-cloth it . so this one I’m afraid I have turned down , and you can see from the state of the top surround swelling my reasons for this . it is very rare for me to turn a job down , especially if it is just down the road form me , but I have made the decision not to to save me any grief . They may be Lucky and get someone to re-cloth it , but this table will not last long outside it will deteriorate very quickly over the Winter months . If you need to have a table outdoors this one in my opinion is the best one to get , made from decking timber , it would still require being under cover , but damp will not effect it as much as a fibre board body table .
Any table placed outdoors even if the manufacturer says and markets it as an outdoor table , will suffer from damp issues , and metal bolts will start to rust especially the cushion fixing bolts and slide or claw nuts . Over 47 years of fitting and re-clothing tables I have seen enough outdoor tables , in my time to know and inform of this problem of condensation damp and rain if no roof over . When anyone asks me what table I recommend for outdoor , I often say NONE , but the above decking one seems to be one that will offer more protection body and top wood wise , but they will still suffer from bolt rusting through damp ingress . Most people often retire their outdoor table for the winter put it in the garage or insulate it and put a good waterproof heavy duty weather proof tarpaulin over it . You will always get condensation outside covered over roof table , in a UK Warm or cold climate though , even if you do take those measures .
I have passed on another local East midlands fitters name for this client to contact ,but stressed they must show them the same photos for their opinion . a 2nd opinion so to speak .
Now sold and table move arranged through GCL billiards
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… old advert read
This table is based in the Havant Portsmouth Area . and is now available for sale from it’s private owner direct . The price is £2500 for it as it stands with all equipment like scoreboard balls and rests . You will then have to pay for dismantling loading , delivery unloading and set up by a qualified time served billiards fitter , and it will require a re-cloth , and maybe new nets and leathers depending on condition when inspected on strip down . you may even think about a re-rubber if using it as a main feature match table in a club . Very rare to find one in Oak which alone would draw attention to it and a main attraction to a club to play finals on .
Photo’s are just a taster better photos to follow soon from the seller . very rare to find these now for sale and even rarer in Oak .
the last price I can find on these BCE tables in mahogany was £8000 plus delivery and set up , but they will now be closer to a Riley aristocrat price , but look again this one is OAK , you would have to pay extra for a Oak table . They are sought after tables , prized as being one of the best steel tournament cushioned tables going Even John Higgins sold his own match star table and replaced it with one of these BCE Westbury’s sourced by GCL billiards . But John’s was a mahogany one , there are thousands made in mahogany , but only a few special ordered oak ones where manufactured so rare to find , and I think will not be up for sale long before someone spots it for what it is , and compares the price of say a new Riley Aristocrat , which are £14193.60p new today on the riley web site , for comparison ask Riley how much they will make a BCE Westbury for in Oak . Then come back and bag this Bargain , this would make an ideal club match table .
Riley now market and make the BCE Westbury and have relaunched it and advertised it as the ,
BCE WESTBURY
The BCE Westbury Snooker Table; 1982 – 1992. As used at the World Professional Snooker championships and other televised events.
BCE are re-launching the iconic BCE Westbury Snooker Table as used by the WPBSA between 1982 – 1992 when the motivating factor was, the table selected for these WPBSA events was the best in its class.
Click on this link or paste it , to see a … Light OAK …. BCE Westbury being used as a Final table in the Masters Snooker final of 1985 Alex Higgins V Steve Davies .
We have just installed another Supreme winner to our pool table rental contract portfolio this one is at the Tutbury Club near Burton on Trent . having heard of our unrivalled Pool rental agreements , that others find hard to match . Two re-cloths a year , this is ideal Summer and Winter leagues , be the envy of other teams in the league who maybe playing on old worn out tables , dead cushions , slow cloths , and supplied and serviced slot machine mechanics who have no clue how to maintain a cue sports table . If you wanted some one to service your car you would not employ a Kitchen installer , the same can be said for Cue sports tables , a Time served billiards fitter will maintain a table much better than a fruit machine mechanic , so arrange your pool table rental from the Experts here at GCL billiards , time served fitter Geoff Large started working on pool tables in the mid 1970’s , so has now been in this industry over 47 years as we speak and still showing no signs of retiring .
A brand new Supreme winner picked up from near Manchester at the factory this morning and installed this afternoon .
This club has new Pool teams entered into leagues . and they wanted a brand new supreme winner with the back up of a professional firm like GCL billiards to maintain it to that high standard they expect .
