The first time I ever played snooker I was about 14.

I took to it like a duck to water, though only initially allowed to play on the three quarter table at the local Billiard Hall, within a few months I’d progressed to the full size tables and was knocking in regular 50 breaks and continued to improve quickly. My dad was a good player and it does seem to run in families.

Over the next couple of years I began to earn money by hustling, so what’s the secret? Put simply you find a guy prepared to play for, let’s say a £1 a game (bear in mind this is nearly 50 years ago when I was earning £12 a week). You lose the first five games then offer to play one game for 10 or 20 quid – win it and clear off with a nice profit.👍

I was earning £100 a week or more, there were plenty of Billiard Halls and Clubs about back then so always somewhere fresh to try your luck at. Now it’s not that easy to lose on purpose – you couldn’t make it too obvious so I learned to play right handed then switched to my normal left hand for the final frame. Amazingly, few players ever clocked on. Though it did backfire on occasion – I’ve been chased out of several Billiard Halls, barred from others and even got stabbed in the back with a broken snooker cue!!

Exciting times – Billiard Halls were spit and sawdust places back then, you couldn’t see the end of the hall for cigarette smoke, all sorts of criminal activities took place, often had police raids when everyone piled out the fire escape when the sound of heavy boots came running up the stairs! Perhaps it is rose tinted specs but times seemed simpler then and I have very fond memories.

It’s amazing how that first game of snooker opened up everything that followed👍👍

Customer expected to have to purchase new Pool table but we renovated the table at a fraction of the cost of a new one. See the work in progress pictures below.

Full size snooker tables require regular brushing and ironing in order to play at their best, indeed this really applies to any size table with a napped directional finish. Using a snooker table brush go from the “D” end of the table to the black spot end of the table, short strokes keeping the brush straight – do not use a scrubbing action. The edges of the brush can be used to brush underneath the cushions (see pic), after brushing wrap a piece of lint free cloth or better still, a piece of billiard cloth. Walk down the table in straight lines, again from the D end to the spot end of the table.

This helps to remove any loose dust and to lay the nap of the cloth down. Ironing should also be done in straight lines from the D to the spot end again, DO NOT iron the cushions. Use only the correct thermostat type snooker table iron. If it is not controlled by a thermostat it is possible to burn the cloth and damage it permanently.

Always ensure the base of the iron is free from dirt or rust etc. before applying the iron to the table.

We can retip cues with quality tips for around £12, we do however need the cues leaving with us for a day for the adhesive we use to cure.

Though we may be able to do same day so long as the cues are here for 10.30am, We can also fit new brass ferrules and repair damaged or broken cues, we can also straighten cues depending how badly bent they actually are.

We normally use Elkmaster or Blue Diamond cue tips, as they are consistent quality, however these are made from leather and as this varies from hide to hide they need playing in for several games before deciding if you are happy with how it’s playing.

There are now many other cue tips available, some very expensive ones, personally I am not sure they offer any advantage over well proven tips. Whilst we don’t hold stock we can fit them for you if you supply the tips.

As always, please ring before calling as we are not always here due to working off-site.

We have recently been made aware of a scam on Facebook Marketplace where a number of very cheap pool tables are being advertised along with other items like leather sofas, high end sofas, fridges, marble tables etc.

The actual scam is in the delivery charges. The scammers offer to deliver for between £50-£200, but ask you to pay the courier by bank transfer first.

The item you are purchasing can be paid for by cash or bank transfer ON DELIVERY. All very believable as that’s how most courier companies operate. The odds are you will never receive any goods and will have lost the delivery money. Our advice is either to try to collect in person or arrange your own collection/delivery to be certain the item exists and is legitimate and do not pay until you have received the item in satisfactory condition!

The bank are unlikely to give you the money back. It is however important to ensure you have ticked the box saying for goods and services if paying by bank transfer to have any chance of getting your money back.

It’s also important to report it to www.actionfraud.police.uk. If in doubt contact us first – our advice is free.

There is no reason you should not be able to re-tip your own cue. It is neither a black art nor difficult. Below is the method I use – that’s not to say it is the only way, but it is the one I find the simplest and most reliable. Bear in mind I don’t just re-tip a few cues a year but hundreds if not thousands! Right off the bat, let me say this is for standard tips like blue diamond, elkmaster, blue crown, tweetens etc. not the latest super duper 30 quid a pop 3-toed ant eater leather or leather from a 1920s Rolls Royce Silver Wraith. (I’ve nothing against them some people swear by them – some just swear at them!)

Firstly after removing the old tip (if it’s not fell off already) carefully file the end of the cue down using a fine metal file, keeping the file square with the cue end – make sure you remove any old traces of glue. It is essential the end of the cue is flat and square, close one eye and look across the top of the cue rotating the cue at the same time if you are unsure how flat it is.

Now take a tip of slightly larger size than the end of your cue, using fine or medium sand or emery paper sand the back of the tip down – the reason for this is most tips are slightly concave and if you don’t sand it the odds are it will come straight off or at best sound hollow when striking the ball. It’s fairly obvious when it’s sanded properly the tip will have sanding marks across the whole diameter.

Now we come to the type of glue to use – I prefer superglue gel slightly thicker than standard superglue and a bit easier to apply than the watery stuff. Just a dab on top of the cue sufficient to cover the complete cue end (don’t overdue it or you will find your fingers and everything else will also stick to the cue.) Carefully place the tip on top of the cue making sure the tip is central and press down firmly. I usually tap the tip down with a small hammer or upend the cue and press down on a hard floor surface. You should not incidentally score either the cue end or the tip to rough the surface up to get more grip – superglue is an anaerobic product meaning it sticks in the absence of oxygen so the flatter and smoother the surfaces the better. It’s good stuff – jumbo jets are glued together with it though probably with a stronger version – I hope so anyway!

To trim the excess tip off, upend the cue on a block or piece of wood and carefully pare it down with a sharp and I do mean sharp craft knife. You can use a fine file to finish though careful use of the knife is usually sufficient. Don’t be tempted to use sandpaper in a downward motion as you will be slowly thinning the cue down – it may not be that noticeable but it’s surprising how quickly this thinning process can occur.

Problems – occasionally the glue just won’t seem to stick, if this happens very slightly dampen both the cue end and the tip and try again. Persist and it will stick!

There are other glues and tip cements but they nearly all require either a cue clamp or need leaving overnight to cure, superglue you can pretty much play straight away.