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Post by gandalf the untidy on Nov 30, 2014 1:30:40 GMT
Gandalf, I suggest you visit the thread on this same Board called "Changing the World of Bar Billiards - Again!" Here you will find the thoughts of a kindred spirit (the Chubbster) - all hand on heart stuff with the future of the game his sole concern. So far he has received minimal response. Input from Stormin', Carl of Norwich - and me. And that's it. So who better to start a "think tank" than the two of you together ? Apathy reigns. I give it another ten years, fifteen at the most. :'( tommo Let's hope there are enough of us willing to bend in the wind rather than break in the wind!
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Post by Chris_Sav on Nov 30, 2014 7:51:02 GMT
I'm afraid the 'discussions' are typical of what I have read on this forum.
People are convinced they are right and the discussion becomes an argument. Posters will not post an opinion and leave it at that for others to comment, they have to have the last word.
My opinion is that it's a major reason why so few people post and only ten percent of our viewers are members.
Sav.
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Post by milko on Nov 30, 2014 9:59:15 GMT
While I do appreciate the thoughts of others to save our game I really think that one of the main reasons for the decline in Bar Billiards is the closing down of all the venues (Pubs & Clubs). You only have to look at this link to see the results... closedpubs.co.uk/
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Post by BB Warrior on Nov 30, 2014 10:19:45 GMT
I'm afraid the 'discussions' are typical of what I have read on this forum.
People are convinced they are right and the discussion becomes an argument. Posters will not post an opinion and leave it at that for others to comment, they have to have the last word.
My opinion is that it's a major reason why so few people post and only ten percent of our viewers are members.
Sav. Although I would not doubt that the statistics prove that is true (in the last 24 hours there were 6 Staff, 48 Members and 304 Guests shown as online) I think that the figures are distorted by Members coming online but not logging in.... I often do that if I just want to look at something quickly and know of many other members who do the same. I agree that it would be nice to see the views of more people.... and agree that often people do not post for fear that it will provoke an argument. Sadly, I am not sure how that can change in the future.
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Post by BB Warrior on Nov 30, 2014 10:25:28 GMT
While I do appreciate the thoughts of others to save our game I really think that one of the main reasons for the decline in Bar Billiards is the closing down of all the venues (Pubs & Clubs). You only have to look at this link to see the results... closedpubs.co.uk/ Sadly true, the shortage of table suppliers also a major factor I think. Perhaps the only answer to try to expand the game is to follow the lead that York seem to be taking where they are buying tables to put in new venues that are interested in taking them.... maybe if Leagues (or groups of individuals) in other areas did this it would open up new opportunities to gain new players?
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Post by joefoxon on Nov 30, 2014 12:33:58 GMT
It helps to have an online presence other than a website. A lot of pubs are on Twitter and Facebook now, and this has proved very useful for us finding new venues.
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Post by joefoxon on Nov 30, 2014 23:25:26 GMT
Another idea I've had would be to contact student unions and ask them if they want to loan a table for maybe a day or two and see what kind of interest they can get in the game. Students are embracing the real ale movement in quite large numbers, and judging by what's happening in York, quite the untapped resource.
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Post by Colemanator on Nov 30, 2014 23:28:14 GMT
I live in a small market town, luckily there are four pubs within 100 metres, how they all survive is a miracle, but two of them are now 'free houses' which helps, we have a bar billiards team in one of those pubs. I can tell you that if you went in those pubs every night, to try to recruit players you would fail (I have). All these pubs now have a 'happy hour' from 4-7pm, this is when they are busy, after that they are dead.
I have seen first hand the decline of the traditional pub games in this area, there was a massive skittles ( both mens and ladies leagues on a Monday and Thursday nights) league which has dwindled to less than half of it's original size, there were many darts teams too, the darts has now one team in the town. The Pool teams have also gone down to one team. This is a problem not unique to Bar Billiards it is a social issue.
The reasons in my opinion are hard to define , I cannot understand it totally, but people just don't go out anymore in the week, years ago social entertainment was pub games, not anymore.
There are films on TV every night, and football, and all sorts of sports, there are hundreds of channels, not just four channels anymore. I think I'm probably from the last of the pub game generation, unless you are a child of one of those generation, then getting involved in a pub game is not on the agenda anymore, it's the evolution of people.
We do get people playing on our table, but when you talk to them, about the league and what's involved they say, 'I haven't got time for that' and that's it really.
Darts, skittles, pool, Bar Billiards, they all had a feeder into those games from parents, friends, work mates etc, that has diminished over time. I sadly do not see that being reversed in this present climate. Where I live, I can count on the fingers of one hand the people who got to the pub who are my neighbours, yet their recycling bins are full of empty bottles and cans, so it aint that they're not drinking. Cheap booze maybe the reason, but for one night (a match night) surely that can't matter?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2014 12:34:05 GMT
While I do appreciate the thoughts of others to save our game I really think that one of the main reasons for the decline in Bar Billiards is the closing down of all the venues (Pubs & Clubs). You only have to look at this link to see the results... closedpubs.co.uk/ I would agree with Keith's above comment, and thank him for the link to an interesting website. This does however appear very much to have a "work in progress" feel about it: look up Horsham, for instance and one might be forgiven for thinking that it has only lost four pubs, when the figure would be nearer twenty.
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