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UK Pool Halls |
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SlowAdey
Not too shy to talk
Joined: 30-Jul-2006
Posts: 36
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Posted: 2007-02-27 17:18
I'd like to pickup the branched thread I replied to in Topic: Specially for the surgeon a rules questionBasically I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences, best and worst of pool halls (Rileys or otherwise) in the UK. Where is the best and worst place you've played? Many of the clubs I have experienced have lovely, cared for, pristine, spirit levelled green baize conditions for snooker but beer stained/ash covered/torn crown green bowling conditions for pool. What are your experiences? Is this part and parcel of the charm/spirit of pool in the UK or are we just a tad cheesed at what many of us pay £9 an hour for? [ This message was edited by: SlowAdey on 2007-02-27 17:28 ]
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Cletus
Home away from home
Joined: 09-Feb-2007
Posts: 282
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Posted: 2007-02-27 17:34
Rileys in sunderland is a running joke, whereas Cheemas round the corner s much better after some of the bpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppa lads tapped one of the tables
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RACKRUNNER21
Home away from home
Joined: 19-Sep-2006
Posts: 862
From: Bristol
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Posted: 2007-02-27 17:59
Yate Riley's tables were in terrible condition...really bad...balls would roll off at slow speed..slowest tables in the world..dead rails..dodgy pockets..the usual..but after nagging the manager for a few months about how rubbish they are they reconditioned 3 out of 10 tables with brand new rails, rubber, pockets and cloth..so get nagging and you may get some luck.
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Bangkokpoolman
Quite a regular
Joined: 24-Nov-2006
Posts: 65
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Posted: 2007-02-27 18:12
you better put guildford in that list, usual in this country, profits b4 customers.
in my opinion, dont spend your money and tell them why your not spending it, when takings go down they will do something and not just wait for then next bppppppppppppppppppppppppppa event...whoops missed a p
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craig
Home away from home
Joined: 08-Sep-2006
Posts: 247
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Posted: 2007-02-27 19:40
For a city the size of Sheffield it only has 3 poolhalls and all of them have MAJOR probems.
Rileys Mansfield Rd: Seriously, the slowest tables in the universe. There getting on for 10 years old now and i can't remember them ever being reconditoned.
Rileys Hunters Bar: A lot better table but they are so close togather you can't get down on your shot when your on the rail. Very badly designed club.
Common Room: By far and away the best table in Sheffield, a little to close together tho. The music at night will make your ears bleed and it gets absolutley packed, i'm talking 20-30 around a table. Tables getting drinks spilled on them is a regular thing. Upside is that it has some of the sweetest barmaids you will ever see.
There were rumours of another Rileys opening up in the city center but i don't think thats happening now.
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emesy
Home away from home
Joined: 25-Feb-2007
Posts: 310
From: worcs
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Posted: 2007-02-27 23:52
try rileys scarborough guys. it opened in april 07 and the tables are like glass its a friendly atmosphere most of the time and theres always someone up for friendly game with you.
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indiana
Home away from home
Joined: 08-May-2006
Posts: 645
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Posted: 2007-02-28 00:36
On 2007-02-27 23:52 , emesy Wrote:!!! QUOTE !!! try rileys scarborough guys. it opened in april 07 and the tables are like glass its a friendly atmosphere most of the time and theres always someone up for friendly game with you. nice of you to go into the future
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mackie
Home away from home
Joined: 19-Jan-2007
Posts: 207
From: hull
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Posted: 2007-02-28 07:52
rileys in hull town centre is a pretty good venue though the tables are in need of an overhaul,cloths and pockets in particular on most tables.we also have mosconis which used to be stunning,but then the brunswicks got sold off so now there's just cheaper tables that have chewed up stained cloths and bad cushions so most serious players avoid it like the plague....shame really because it was stunning about 5 or so years back
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dazzler
Home away from home
Joined: 14-Mar-2006
Posts: 1289
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Posted: 2007-02-28 09:20
THE BEST CLUB IN THE UK WITHOUT A DOUBT IS RILEY'S LIVERPOOL, ANYONE WHO PLAYED THE LAST EPT IM SURE WOULD AGREE!! And closely followed by Solihull when the tables are sorted (like at EPT there last year)...same goes for Harrow (EPT next event at the end of March) -----------------  [ This message was edited by: dazzler on 2007-02-28 09:21 ]
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Riggers
Home away from home
Joined: 30-Mar-2006
Posts: 4454
From: Barnsley (centre of the universe)
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Posted: 2007-02-28 11:14
Sure Liverpool was a very nice club but it was new, the staff were new, the tables were new, the cloths were new... IMO to be called the best club they need to have an ongoing reputation for looking after the tables, their players and their customers. Time will tell for Liverpool. I agree it is a great looking club but I'd like to see if it's still that way in 12 months time. Very dodgy looking area by the way. I went out to try and find a pub lunch and quickly decided it was a bad idea.
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MarkMills
Home away from home
Joined: 03-Sep-2006
Posts: 273
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Posted: 2007-02-28 11:23
Riggers, they were probably more scared of you mate.
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SlowAdey
Not too shy to talk
Joined: 30-Jul-2006
Posts: 36
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Posted: 2007-02-28 12:31
I totally agree with you on this. Its not just about playing conditions, its about trying to create an environment over the longer term where pool players will respect the game, their environment and aspire to improve. This means the management of the club should promote things like regular competitions, coaching sessions, clean facilities, and be intolerant of any anti social behaviour. Sending out the signals that professionalism goes beyond just downing as many pints as you can  . If your club aren't trying to promote these things then suggest running a regular competition to the management, ask them about bringing the facilities up to standard (like the snooker room). And if this doesn't work and your club is too tight, chip in with a few friends and get a couple of cloths relayed. On 2007-02-28 11:14 , Riggers Wrote:!!! QUOTE !!! Sure Liverpool was a very nice club but it was new, the staff were new, the tables were new, the cloths were new... IMO to be called the best club they need to have an ongoing reputation for looking after the tables, their players and their customers. Time will tell for Liverpool. I agree it is a great looking club but I'd like to see if it's still that way in 12 months time. Very dodgy looking area by the way. I went out to try and find a pub lunch and quickly decided it was a bad idea. [ This message was edited by: SlowAdey on 2007-02-28 12:57 ]
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thediamond
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Mar-2006
Posts: 1520
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Posted: 2007-02-28 12:59
Rileys Victoria, best club, best manager and biggest referee in UK 
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indiana
Home away from home
Joined: 08-May-2006
Posts: 645
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:18
On 2007-02-28 12:59 , thediamond Wrote:!!! QUOTE !!! Rileys Victoria, best club, best manager and biggest referee in UK how dare you simon, consider yourself barred [ This message was edited by: indiana on 2007-02-28 13:19 ]
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DaveMc
Just can't stay away
Joined: 10-Apr-2006
Posts: 127
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:27
Best club easily Riley's Victoria. Never have have I met management so proactive and approachable as Chris and Jo.
The worst IMO is Riley's Brighton. I've actually presented the Regional Manager with a member's petition saying how bad the tables are plus sent him an email with a bulleted list of what is wrong with the tables. 2Years ago I would practise in there 5 times a week. Now they are lucky to see me plus any other serious players on any night other than the monday KO comp.
The overall theme seems to be let the tables get into an atrocious state then only consider refurbishment when the beer sales start to slide.
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Rant over.
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Mike_Abel
Home away from home
Joined: 21-Mar-2006
Posts: 152
From: Portslade, East Sussex
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:40
Got to agree with Dave, Rileys Brighton is a dump.
i went down there the other week, once i'd managed to unstick myself from the CARPET!!! i had my first hour of practice in 6 months, then left wondering if Rileys knew that it existed!
Its an old style Rileys though that hasn't had a re-furb yet.
Rileys Lancaster is quite nice, friendly and spacious, with the exception that if you play on the tables by the windows you get blinded by the sun reflecting off the shops opposite!!
Does Shepherd's Bush still have those awful table with full length pictures and patterns on them!! Now they were shocking!!
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SlowAdey
Not too shy to talk
Joined: 30-Jul-2006
Posts: 36
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:41
No doubt about it, Victoria is probably the most professionally run club and the closest environment/atmosphere to what you might experience stateside. But as a place to play practice regularly, I'm afraid the cost is beyond the reaches of most players. I can however heartedly recommend the regular (£20 in) Saturday night competition though, Chris does a great job organising and running it  . On 2007-02-28 13:27 , DaveMc Wrote:!!! QUOTE !!! Best club easily Riley's Victoria. Never have have I met management so proactive and approachable as Chris and Jo.
[ This message was edited by: SlowAdey on 2007-02-28 13:44 ]
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SkyBlueJim
Home away from home
Joined: 16-Jan-2007
Posts: 328
From: Coventry
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:50
i have to agree with the dazzler about rileys solihull, with my relatively low experience of different clubs solihull easily has the best tables. If it wasnt for the fact i get free tableplay in coventry i would drive the half hour each way to solihull for my practice everytime.
Other clubs in the area (Rugby, Nuneaton, both clubs in coventry) have beerstained, worn clothes, poor pockets, and unreliable inconsistent cushions.
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SlowAdey
Not too shy to talk
Joined: 30-Jul-2006
Posts: 36
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Posted: 2007-02-28 13:59
I used to play regularly at Shepherds Bush and for me this is prime example of a club where beer and football rules. The place is a big venue, so much potential but usually only a third or half full at any one time. Anyway, I specifically went down there with a friend in November last year to watch the live showing of the World Pool Championships. After we told the management about the event (because they weren't aware of it at the time), they put it on the tv for us. We'd been watching it for half an hour or so, and it was half way through one of the matches, and the management decided to switch the channel over and put on the much anticipated Carling Cup clash between Man Utd and the "mighty" Southend (no disrespect...). To put it mildly, we were not best pleased, and neither were the Man Utd fans when Southend beat them 1-0  . On 2007-02-28 13:40 , lancaster_bomber Wrote:!!! QUOTE !!!
Does Shepherd's Bush still have those awful table with full length pictures and patterns on them!! Now they were shocking!!
[ This message was edited by: SlowAdey on 2007-02-28 14:28 ]
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Mike_Abel
Home away from home
Joined: 21-Mar-2006
Posts: 152
From: Portslade, East Sussex
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Posted: 2007-02-28 14:14
why is it that the attitude of the Riley staff seems to be about as good as the clubs they work in??
Like SlowAdey's comment above, i remember playing in a ProTour comp at Shep.Bush in 2002/3 and it was a lunchtime nothing cup game followed by England/scotland in the 6 nations, the staff were rearranged some of the chairs directly next to some of the tables so people could see the tv because we were blocking the view of the tv by playing pool !!
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