GCL BILLIARDS are back open after January 5th 2022 after Christmas and new year break .

We hope everyone has had a good break over the Christmas period .
we are back open for business and table re-cloth bookings from January 5th onwards
we have a good stock of cloth in green for both snooker and pool tables , so we are taking bookings for January and February for re-clothing work .
also a stock of rubber in both Northern English manufactured  and also the most used import type for pool tables is also in stock  .

please note our cloth suppliers and parts suppliers are also closed and re-open the same day so any parts or special none stock cloth grades and colours ,
will have to be ordered after that date from the 5th of January 2022 , this may cause a bit of a problem if our stockists do not have that specific colour or grade in stock from the off of re-start in the New year .
please remember that during covid times production and wool supplies have also hit problems .
it may be that you choose another grade of cloth or make , or colour as a back up if you want to get your table booked in .
common rule is there is always plenty of green cloth in stock .
but not all different colours or grades in those colour apart from Green are available .

also the supplies of replacement pool cushions may be a problem in specific sizes , especially 6ft size .
due to demand of new pool tables on back order , the suppliers may be reluctant to part with re-placement cushions stocks and keep these for new pool table orders to be completed .
So the other alternative  will be a re-rubber of you existing cushions if that is the case .
this may cause a bit of problem in time if we have to pick the cushions up , re-rubber then return , and also more costly if that was the case than simply buying replacement cushions
but we can re-rubber on site , a bit messy but it can be done .

But on re-rubbering you can upgrade to UK made Northern Rubber rather than the normal Import canvas backed rubber everyone uses
even Supreme and DPT and other manufacturers use import rubber from new .
obviously Northern rubber is a premium rubber and this will incur a higher price than a simple import rubber -replacement .
and we normally look for two clients or two tables to do at the same time if using Northern rubber as one set of full size northern rubber will do two 6ft or 7ft tables .

we are now using the latest yellow dot Northern rubber for these upgrade of rubber work .
so you can see that you are getting the best manufactured up to date re-rubber .  MADE IN ENGLAND in Retford Nottingham
at the Northern rubber company , now owned by Hainsworth

We are getting a lot of bookings coming in for 2022 already so best email me at

c.large@btinternet.com

to book work in which will be quicker if done that way than phone as I am hands on work during the day , I may not be able to answer a phone during that time or maybe Driving .
Please note , I always look at emails first thing on my return Home in the evenings to book work in to days that are remaining on our calendar  .
but you are free to phone if you wish , but please leave a text or answerphone message , I go through these phone calls and messages  after emails have been replied to .
a common occurrence is the very old red or pink rubber that often goes rock hard , please check your cushions if you wish to have your table re-clothed

as you can see one cushion may be hard the rest soft , but we only change them in full sets we do not just mix and match cushion rubber with second hand part sets .
if one has gone hard the others are not far behind it , so it is false economy to have a part cushions replacement and any firm offering that choice are wrong to do it .
and should be avoided , if they cut corners on that part of the work what else is wrong with their standards and workmanship ?
Now and again we may have a decent FULL MATCHED SET of cushions that we let go for a lower price than new , but we do inspect them and note how good they are  , but we never mix and match a set .

Hard rubber held out like a stick , no re-bound value at all , just like hitting rock
and new rubber hanging down , soft and plenty of bounce .

Superb Condition Full size Vintage pre 1895 snooker / billiard table for sale …. at a very affordable price of £2000

We have a client who wishes to sell their fully refurbished at great cost  full size snooker  / billiard  table
at present famous sports celebrity owned ( premier division footballer )
Client confidentiality is to be observed so I cannot say who it is , without consent .
My client has inherited the table on a house sale , but prefers his American pool table which is in his old property  and which we have to move into this space .
As you can see immaculate condition and re-clothed in Taupe colour cloth

some accessories like rests and the balls are with the table sale
we are not asking for a lot for this table and I have negotiated a price of £2000 as it stands for a very quick sale and pick up .
Price is accessed because we have taken into account what it may cost a new owner , on top of the £2000
it varies on price to have one collected and installed it all depends on distances , and if two days or one is involved or a very long day .
the table will be dismantled and Bubble wrapped of all polished parts , and available for collection from the Alderley edge area , near Manchester .
Be quick on this one

as you can see the polish on the table is very good as is the cloth condition
talking about the cloth I think this is a Hainsworth smart  manufactured  taupe coloured cloth  a very bespoke colour choice and would have been a special order colour .
very rare to find and choice  , so a bit exclusive to have this coloured cloth .
The cloth could be refitted so a re-cloth is not required in our opinion .

Scoreboard is included .
there is no lighting so you would have to arrange for a suitable lighting to be installed if you bought the table .
which I think is a very good price for such a fine period table in this excellent condition .
there is some previous vague history with the table that it once belonged to Alex Higgins ,
I have always stated unless you have photo proof or signed documentation never to sell a table that this is true , yet I will mention it .
my client does not make this claim , it was just something that was passed down to him via the house sale .

If you require a quote for a pick up of the table and load and deliver and  Ground floor installation ,
please let Geoff at GCL Billiards know and give your full post code address for the quote .

You do not have to use GCL billiards you can arrange any billiards firm or pick the table up yourself .
table will be bubble wrapped , just back up to the storage  Garage , slates are near the door standing upright like a door .
just load your own van if you wanted to keep the price down for collection , you can hire  a 35cwt sprinter or long wheelbase  van for as little as £100
then just pay for a more local billiards fitter close to you to set back up and re-fit the cloth .

What ever route you go by for collection ,  we fully recommend professional billiards firm or fitter assembles the table for you .
Bad fitting of any cue sports table will be a big disappointment to any player .

All inquiries to Geoff at GCL Billiards for the table sale

via our email

c.large@btinternet.com

we will pass on any interested persons inquiries ,  to our clients Father in law who is dealing with the table sale .

8ft Riley snooker table for sale …Offers on the low side should take this .

We have an elderly couple who because of a house move cannot take their treasured snooker table with them .
due to this they are willing to listen to offers on the low side for a quick sale and removal by 2nd week of January or before  Christmas would be more preferable .
no silly offers please , lets not take advantage of them .
we think it is a one section slate bed but has the much better 6 legs so central support of the slate to stop sagging in the middle  .
if a three section slate then even better buy .
I have not seen the table in the flesh so cannot say what type of slate it has a one piece 8ft by 4ft , or three section  jointed type .
but I think from experience of working on a few this size it has the one piece 8ft by 4ft type on it .
and we think it is a Riley as that is what they where sold from new .

The table may require a re-cloth due to fading but it is playable as it is for the time being .
looks to have full size pockets so if you cannot fit a full size then this may be ideal to practice on .
there are also some accessories with it .
the table is in Needlingworth  ,ST Ives ,  CAMBRIDGE AREA , if you have a set of piano wheels and large van then this  may be an easy move if one piece slate bed .
just remove the cushions and pocket rails to make things easy .
Frame dismantles down to parts .

Nets and leathers are in very good condition , as is the polish .

Legs are nice turned type in the style of a Riley Regis table
looks like a table cloth cover underneath .
Contact Geoff for more details please .
at GCL Billiards .

Not available for telephone calls or emails this next 4 days . Back on line Friday 10th December .

Due to work commitments and a small break .

I will not be contactable until Friday afternoon 10th December  to read any emails or answer telephone calls
please ring me or email me on Friday the 10th . if you have any work enquiries .
as you can see and expect Christmas is a very busy time in all trades but especially the Home leisure and pub trade .

please note WE CANNOT TAKE ON ANY MORE WORK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

simply not enough hours in a day to fit anymore work in .
it has been a difficult year what with coming in and out of Covid restrictions and now more restrictions and protocol are probably on their way .

After Christmas break and new year .

I am taking booking for the new year , and already January is filling up with work I have on my notice board
to fit in ., these people have been very understanding to wait until a slot in the new year and some made inquiries in early November to try and get work done for Christmas .
it was just not possible to take it on .
So these people are priority for January and beginning of March , there may be the odd day slotted here and there between these bookings so it is possible to fit you in January
we are returning to work on January the 10th .
I am also having some Building work done which hopefully will be done and dusted and completed in the next few weeks .
a few snagging problems to sort out , but hopefully we can start the decorating first week of January when the plaster has fully dried out
hence why I say January the 10th when I will return to work .

Have a nice Christmas break to all our clients and future clients

Always insist on UK MADE Northern Rubber by Hainsworth made in Retford Nottinghamshire .

I do a lot of Re-rubber work on full size tables down to pool tables
and the best rubber to have fitted is Northern Rubber by Hainsworth
now comes with yellow dot and a unique date code the rubber was manufactured in
and if you want the rubber fitted correctly then Geoff Large @ GCL billiards has over 46 years of experience fitting rubber and shaping pocket openings and undercut

If you want the best FIT THE BEST !











Telephone line back on now and the sheer amount of work we have to fit in before Christmas .

Telephone line connected again , fault  as suspected , corroding wires in the ground to box .
Well 2021 is fully booked out we cannot take anymore work in for this year .
my run of bookings for work  up to Christmas and new year is full .
without any possibility to squeeze even a small job in .

Coming out of covid has certainly had an impact on work required .
we are certainly overworked the Christmas run in .

I am off to St Anns on sea near Liverpool tomorrow
to correct another firms  faulty level of slate joint  fitting of a Brunswick 9ft pool  table and re-cloth it  .
it is going to be a long day with all the traveling from Nottingham .

I also have work booked in
for the Lincoln wragby area .
Swadlincote
Ashby del a Zouch x 4 tables
The Cotswolds
Leicester and North of Kettering area
plus a lot of small jobs to infill
and a Premier Division footballer moving house and I have to relocate one full size from his new house to his old house then in the opposite direction an American pool table
from the old house to the new house , with an overnight stop over .

The Phone keeps ringing and emails are still coming in , and  people are prepared to wait until the new year for GCL billiards to do the work on their cue sports table .
If you are thinking of buying a second hand table and you have found one please send a photo and I will offer free advice
on what needs spending on it and the costs of transporting and re-erect plus things like re-rubber , re-cloth , nets and leathers .
or that advice may even be not to buy it if I think there are better buys out there for you
Remember it is buyers market when you are looking at snooker tables , especially full size ones . so many being given away or for low hundreds , take your time and ask for advice when buying or looking for a table .
get it wrong and you will be thinking , I should have waited for the right one to come along .

I am known for being very approachable in giving free advice  , and with over 46 years of Billiards fitting experience , you will be hard pushed to find another fitter with that experience ,
there are  a hand full of us Old time served fitters still around left , even if I am too busy I know a few of these fitters who I would  gladly pass on their details to you .

Sorry to say but fully booked out until After Christmas , now taking bookings from January 11th onwards .

Due to large influx of work from pubs and clubs reopening , and Private house work .
we are full booked out including most Saturdays before Christmas , I just cannot take anymore work on now until the new Year and after the 11th of January 2022 .
Please stick with GCL Billiards for Quality workmanship and a firm you can trust .
With over 45 years in the cue sports Business as a Time served billiards fitter , you can appreciate we know what we are doing .


from Re-rubber and re-cloth of snooker /Billiard tables .


American 8ft and 9ft Pool tables with three section slate beds . this example in Cadet Blue ,  in Hainsworth Elite pro speed cloth
Re-cloth and re-rubber plus house logistics move of pool tables to full size is also our speciality .

Loaded van of snooker slate , cushions frame work and light shades .
into storage for client , at clients own storage unit .

one full size table complete loaded .

Cloth colours , some grades carry a vast range of cloth colours others maybe only a few  ,
it all depends on what grade you want as to what colour you could choose .

For Example Paprika in Hainsworth smart cloth .

We also replace nets and leathers with Good quality UK sourced materials .
in fact we try and not use far east products , our cloth and rubber is UK manufactured too .

now and again we source antique scoreboards like this special example
at affordable prices when you compare them to the large billiard house prices .

A riley twin bevelled mirror scoreboard in oak .
we currently have two for sale  at affordable as they come price .

we also get a a few rotating cue racks in , but they fly out the door as fast as they come in .

We also get the odd second hand iron plus brush and balls and cues in now and again , not often just now and again .
the same with rests and heads .

last but not least we are now rebuilding our Pool table rental sites back up , if you fancy a brand new supreme winner table in Black pearl cabinet
fully maintained and re-clothed twice a year in Hainsworth  Match cloth , then contact Geoff at GCL Billiards we have three new ones in stock waiting for new sites .

Two tables we installed a couple of years ago as Rental tables .
although this pub is no longer here  , demolished to make way for a Iceland Shop in Stapleford Nottingham .
We stayed in contact with the owner and the landlord of this pub and we installed new tables back in to two separate pubs  in the next town of Beeston Nottingham
and they are still happy clients of ours .
Covid hit us hard on our rental sites with many pubs having the table out for extra seating , or just because they where locked down ,
but they are slowly coming back to us , one pub at a time and having their tables back or rather Brand new ones back as I sold most S/H ones that came in to make way for new stock .
there is a waiting list for new Supreme winner tables of 6 months , we have three in stock ready to go out for Rentals with another 6 on order to come is as replacements in March 2022
Rentals is not our main business but it runs smoothly at the side of our re-cloth and cue sports table maintenance business .
We prefer our rentals to be close to Nottingham and Derby .

Whatever you are looking for in the Cue sports table business Geoff at GCL Billiards come’s highly recommended .

Hybrid table parts from other tables made this table what it is … and how we improved it

Full size snooker table , the work involved re-rubber and re-cloth and check level , this table is an odd ball Allied billiards putting together a table made up from different make tables .
and what we term as a hybrid table
legs from an old 1910 circa Orme & sons  and new wood for frame and inner bearers and legs are mahogany .
the cushions where also from a Riley and had a date code Mar 31 , March 1931 and are in oak so a different table than the legs .
the slates being numbered for cushions the opposite way around than most tables point these to being Burroughs and watts .
it is well known that Burroughs and watts number anti clockwise while most number them clockwise when fitting the cushions to the slates .
I was taught this by two fitters I worked under while doing my apprenticeship as a Billiards fitter .
My client complained of not being able to build a decent break and the pocket openings where tight , I opened them up to 1990 template size , but the back of the pocket was very tight and caused rattle , so we eased the fall into the table by filing the slate , someone had a go at this last time but did not take enough off , and also rasped it very rough , we smoothed over and increased the fall slightly .

Finished table looks inviting .

Cushions stripped of inferior Barton white rubber to allow new Best quality Hainsworth northern Rubber to be fitted and angles shaped

Northern Rubber by Hainsworth …only the best rubber used for billiard / Snooker tables in the world .

all 6 rubbers glued up on my Glue board in one go .
Contact adhesive Glue is hand spread on using a  glue comb for even distribution , no spray on glue rubbish which when used allows the rubber to fall off .

Strachan 6811 Tournament cloth 32 oz grade for longer lasting cloth .
this is showing the reverse side of the cloth not the napped face side .

Client was complaining about balls not entering slate fall and not being able to build a big break ,
so we brought them in a little , and fixed the bodge of the previous fitter who had tried to do the rasp of slate fall last time , and make a very rough job of it .
all pockets where different sizes , we made a template for the fall and duplicated it on all 4 corners and made them more smooth a surface down the fall .

the pocket now looks more like a modern pocket opening .

Looks very inviting a photo from above the table
which is located close to Uttoxeter .As you can see we filed the slate fall in to allow our client more ease at potting , someone had done this in the past but had done it very crudely and rough .
we smoothed it all down and it is a vast improvement for him.
Before the corner pockets where different sizes now they are all the same as we made a template up for the fall curve .
we had a good discussion on how my client wanted his table to play like , we do all we could to improve the pocket openings and used made in the UK materials to complete this
no low cost far east materials where used .