WT’s Snooker Club

There’s more to this than balls being whacked with a big stick.

You could easily miss the entrance to WT’s. It’s kind of opposite The Boat Race and next to Blockbusters on Burleigh Street, with a single door entrance which leads upstairs into an expansive 6,000 square foot venue. Every time I’ve ever been in WT’s, whether it’s been a Saturday night or a Tuesday lunch-time, it’s been really busy. But this is by no means a problem because this place has nine snooker tables, five american pool tables and three english pool tables on offer.
What I remember from my early visits to WT’s is Bob Marley on the Juke Box, a works pool-playing do, with drinks on the boss, that quickly went pear-shaped, and another time I also took part in possibly the longest game of snooker ever in which the winner was the guy who scored less fouls. From this you can guess that me and a cue aren’t exactly the perfect match, but having said that, one of my favourite memories from last year, is spanking a girl-friend of mine on the pool table at the Earl of Derby. Oh yeah, I beat her at pool too, but that wasn’t anywhere near as interesting.
But it’s the fact that you don’t have to be a master on the table to feel part of the club down at WT’s which I think separates it from the usual concept of membership snooker clubs. You don’t feel intimidated by being rubbish, and unlike playing the odd game of pool in pubs you haven’t got loads of people watching your every move: They’re too busy playing their own game. But all this isn’t to say they don’t take their game seriously here. An open handie-capped tournament takes place very Sunday and members Adam Lewis and Bobby Gillespie are nine-ball pros. Jimmy Gillespie, another regular, is about to turn pro too.
WT’s as you might have guessed is named after Willie Thorne, but it’s not exactly his joint. He’s a patron who gets down as often as he can from his home in Leicester. The night I call in he’s hosting a sports quiz, and cracking jokes and mingling around, and all in all, clearly a nice bloke. He became involved with the WT snooker centre in Newmarket because the manager there Steve McNamara was a mate. So, when Steve looked to move into the Burleigh Street residence Willie was on the case again. If you didn’t know, he’s a regular commentator on Sky’s Snooker coverage, and we all know how it pisses on BBC. "What Sky does," says Willie, the Andy Gray of snooker, "is bring sport into your living room with a little bit of show-biz too."
They call Willie Thorne ‘THE MAXIMUM MAN’ because he has scored more maximum 147’s than any other player. It’s funny how all these snooker players seem to have their own little trade-marks: Steve Davis is boring, Ray Reardon looked like Dracula, that guy with the funny glasses, Dennis Taylor, had those funny glasses, Alex ‘Hurricane Higgins’ was born during a hurricane, Steve ‘Whirlwind’ White had terrible wind and Ronnie O’Sullivan is only eight years old. As far as Willie’s concerned, I prefer the story, which I just made up, that he once got a thorn caught in his, well, you know.
Membership to WT’s is super-cheap. To become a life member is just Ł10 (Ł5 for students), and this fee will also enrole your partner too if you want. Unless, of course you’re joining to get away from them. Aswell as the pool and snooker tables, there are three card tables and a huge screen for all major sporting events. The juke box is free and beer prices are very cheap. Pints are often promo-ed at Ł1.30, which has got be worth membership alone and anyway, WT’s has got such a club atmosphere that people often go in just for the crack. The bar staff are predominantly female, which Steve was keen to point out, and while I’m at it I’d just like to say a big thankyou to Bar Manageress Melanie Danning and her second-in-command, Alex Wiley for all their hospitality; another reason to go back.

Anyway, any activity with involves balls being whacked with sticks is always going to need further investigation.