On the trail of the former South Yorks League

...........and here's where can be found "possibly the only bar billiards table in Yorkshire" :

www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/18/18967/Golden_Ball/York

A rather extravagant claim, I would imagine there would be some left over in the Doncaster region as there used to be a South Yorks league.

[Colemanator]

It weren't that long ago though Clive that there was a South Yorks side.

[Q]

[url=http://www.aswiftone.com/2009/12/more-choice-in-sheffield.html

Saturday, December 12, 2009
More Choice in Sheffield

[/url]

The Gardeners, situated out on Neepsend Lane, has reopened after refurbishment. It closed almost 2 1/2 years ago after being under water in the floods that devastated Sheffield, but has been well worth the wait. The pub has retained its original shape with the central bar serving two rooms but has been redecorated to give it a light and airy feel with its rear conservatory adding even more light. It was serving four beers from the Sheffield Brewery on my visit, with 6 guests, so there is plenty of beer to go at. The bar billiard table has been retained, which is apparently unique in the City

I wonder how long it took them to dry it out ;D

[Sir Chancelot]

Dec 12, 2009 21:13:45 GMT Q said:

[url=http://www.aswiftone.com/2009/12/more-choice-in-sheffield.html

Saturday, December 12, 2009
More Choice in Sheffield

[/url]

The Gardeners, situated out on Neepsend Lane, has reopened after refurbishment. It closed almost 2 1/2 years ago after being under water in the floods that devastated Sheffield, but has been well worth the wait.[/quote]

Approx. 10 years ago I dicovered two tables in pubs on the outskirts of Sheffield whilst visiting relatives in the area.
Just had a quick look on the web to try and remind myself where.
Did see one mentioned at The Springhurst, Crookes.
Also one possibly for sale in a pub that is closing on 18th December.

Got any more info on that one, Stormin'?  A google search has thrown up zilch!   - tommo

Now established that Norman means the Springvale at Crookes:
www.coffeebeer.co.uk/pintpleasures/springvale.html
-but whether the bar billiards remains there is debatable as only mention of a Pool table  :'(

A google search has come up with this discussion thread in which seven former venues are mentioned:

www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=464030

COCKED HAT, ATTERCLIFFE
SWAN DRONFIELD
ROYAL OAK COAL ASTON
GARDENERS REST NEEPSEND SHEFFIELD
NAGS HEAD EDALE
LITTLE JOHN HATHERSAGE
MINERS ARMS HUNDALL

(A further investigation to be made before we decide whether or not they go on to the AEBBA map)

Have also been googling for tables in the Huddersfield area, after a claim that several still existed, but that particular trail has run cold.

Results of the further research:
Plenty of mention of Pool, jukeboxes, TV screen, etc on the pub websites -  but no mention of bar billiards except for one, the Gardeners Rest.

(The following extract from the Sheffield CAMRA publication dated Feb 2010):

After being closed for nearly two
and a half years, the Gardeners Rest in
Neepsend has finally reopened. This gem of
a pub had been sorely missed ever since it
was forced to close on the 25th of June 2007
when the River Don overflowed its banks
and flooded the city, causing eight deaths
and £30 million of damage. The beer garden
of the Gardeners Rest was badly damaged,
and inside the pub the water level reached
high enough to submerge the bar billiards
table. Fortunately the table, one of the few
remaining in Sheffield, has been completely
restored.

....and lo and behold, a picture of the table in the Gardeners Rest can be found in this blog:

weebeefyspubblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/summers-here-kids.html

Looks like a nice pub. 8-)

As far as we can discern, three bar billiards venues exist in South Yorks - all in Sheffield and none in Doncaster or Rotherham:

Gardeners Rest, 105 Neepsend Lane, Sheffield  S3 8AT
New Barrack Tavern, 601 Penistone Road, Sheffield  S6 2GA
Hillsborough Hotel, 58 Langsett Road, Sheffield  S6 2UB
Cross Scythes Inn, 145-147 Derbyshire Lane, Norton Lees, Sheffield S8 9EQ

2 of these have been confirmed by our new member Bondi.
[further edit 18/4/13]
[further addition 04/02/14]

Apr 20, 2014 17:28:43 GMT tommo III said:

However, a search turned up this new venue - non-League of course in the Doncaster area:
SCARBOROUGH ARMS, SUNDERLAND STREET, TICKHILL, DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKS DN11 9QJ

[laurenraps]

Hi, Just stumbled upon the site searching for bar billiards accessories in West Yorkshire. We have just completed an investment in our pub in Huddersfield and have replaced the pool table with bar billiards. We are a traditional real ale house, with stone flagged floors and open fire and of course now a Bar Billiards table.

The Shoulder of Mutton
Church street
Slaithwaite
Huddersfield.
:)

Hi Laurenraps and welcome to the Forum. 8-)

We wish you every success with the bar billiards and hope it attracts much interest in your pub.

I will ask for your venue to be added to our map of all known venues in the UK. There are a few dotted around Yorkshire and you can find a link here:

maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104694377102614712000.000485981969d13618db1&ll=51.44716,-1.192017&spn=1.900042,6.696167&z=8

[barbelman]

Hi Lauren

Welcome to the Forum.

I've added the Shoulder of Mutton to the Bar Billiards map - looks a really nice place!  There used to be a South Yorkshire league so we are expecting great things from you! ;D

Anything you need to know or any news please let us know

regards
Tony

Apr 18, 2013 20:18:40 GMT rob said:

The Hillsborough Hotel in Sheffield no longer has a table unfortunately

Thanks. Crossed off the S.Yorks list.
tommo

Evidence of a Bar Billiards revival in Sheffield:

www.thestar.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/potting-a-winner-with-bar-billiards-revival-in-sheffield-pubs-1-6375701

Great to see, and this means there are now three pockets of activity in Yorkshire: Hull, York and now Sheffield.

Could we one day once more see Yorkshire performing on the County stage ?

It might need encouragement and support from the Forum and/or AEBBA to bring the parties together......now where's that Publicity Officer ?

Here is a more-or-less complete record of the league in its heyday (the early 1990's)...the source is Pete Farrelly's Bar Billiards Quarterly, editions 1 to 16:

BBQ2 - June 1991
All-England Indivs was played at AERE Harwell. Richard Eccles represented S.Yorks. In the AEBBA Ladies’ competition, Rachel Eccles represented S.Yorks.
BBQ3 - Oct 1991
County Championships were played in 3 divisions: Leicestershire won Div.3 from South Yorks and Somerset………
S.Yorks: J.Harrison, S.Burns, D.Gardner, C.Betts, M.Eccles, C.Wheeler, R.Cheyne
BBQ6 - July 1992
AE Indivs in June - South Yorks were represented again.
County Secretaries were listed, including the following:
South Yorks - M.Eccles, 32 Kendall Crescent, Conisborough, Doncaster, S Yorks
BBQ7 - Oct 1992
Somerset won promotion to Div2 of the County championships ahead of Wilts and S.Yorks
National Off-the-Spot at Harwell: "Always played previously in pubs and clubs, but now completely staged by the AEBBA, a playoff was organised involving the last 2 from each county.
Six groups of four, with the winner of each group going through to return and play in November, plus two more from a qualifying playoff on the day.
S Yorks were again represented.
BBQ8 - Jan 1993
AE Off-spot singles held in Nov: no representative from S.Yorks.
National over50s in Harwell: S Yorks sent along some competitors.
BBQ10 - July 1993
All-England Indivs held at Harwell in June, South Yorks sent a lady (Anita Witheford)
BBQ11 - Oct 1993
County Championships; Wilts won Div.3 from Leics and S.Yorks
Local news: South Yorkshire League…….Selby Arms, Askern won the league from "Spinky's", Conisborough; Selby Arms moved to the Railway, Askern for the Summer Cup
BBQ12 - Jan 1994
Local news: Tarratts withdraw all their tables from S.Yorks; but 2 other operators have been asked to instal tables so that the league may continue.
BBQ14 - July 1994
John Allen of South Yorkshire entered the All-England Singles
Anita Witheford represented South Yorks in the Ladies.
Local news: Spinkys, The Railway, the Tadcaster Arms and the Three Crowns (Tickhill) form the re-invigorated S.Yorks League following the withdrawal of Tarratt Tables.
BBQ15 - Oct 1994
The County Championships were held in September: Div 3 was cancelled following the withdrawal of both S.Yorks and Leicester.
BBQ16 - Jan 1995
No 'minor counties' took part this time in the National Team Championships: and news from the AEBBA AGM: "The loss of Somerset and South Yorks this year was very much regretted."

We should also mention this guy, who introduced bar billiards to the county in the first place:
www.getreading.co.uk/sport/other-sport/wheeler-puts-bar-billiards-cue-4299446

.....and that during this era our game received TV coverage in the form of Yorkshire Television's Indoor League, compered by Fred Trueman. (Clips available to watch on YouTube)

An internet search on the venues mentioned in the aforementioned chronicle has revealed the following:
Selby Arms, Askern, S.Yorks - demolished
Spinky’s, Conisborough, S.Yorks - now ‘The Venue’ nightclub
Railway, Askern, S.Yorks – pool table only
Tadcaster Arms, Doncaster S.Yorks - demolished
Three Crowns, Tickhill, S.Yorks - closed

However, a search turned up this new venue - non-League of course in the Doncaster area:
SCARBOROUGH ARMS, SUNDERLAND STREET, TICKHILL, DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKS DN11 9QJ
www.perfectpint.co.uk/best-real-ale-pubs-UK/4371/Scarbrough-Arms#t2

[syorksbilliards]

hi guys i run the cross scythes in Sheffield we have a table and play regular games with the only 1 other pub in Sheffield gardeners rest we are thinking of taking a day trip up to york to go see there league and how things work if you guys no of any other pubs in the south York's area we could set up games with that would be great

thanks

Steve

[Sir Chancelot]

Apr 23, 2014 16:03:08 GMT syorksbilliards said:

hi guys i run the cross scythes in Sheffield we have a table and play regular games with the only 1 other pub in Sheffield gardeners rest we are thinking of taking a day trip up to york to go see there league and how things work if you guys no of any other pubs in the south York's area we could set up games with that would be great

thanks

Steve

Is that the Cross Scythes in Totley, Baslow Road ?

Nah Norman, it's this one which is in Derbyshire Lane:
www.crossscythes.co.uk/events.html

Steve - welcome to the Forum. Hope to hear more from you, especially about local competitions.

Are we to understand the New Barrack Tavern no longer have a table ?

The reason I ask is that we are trying to maintain a meaningful guide map of where you can play bar billiards throughout the entire country......you can find a link to the map by looking at the other posts on this thread.

in answer to your question about other venues in South Yorks, we think we found one recently in Doncaster, the Scarborough Arms.

Pleased to hear of your plans to sound out York.....you could challenge them to an Inter-City match, and who knows ? it could develop from there: pool your resources and we could some years from now see Yorkshire affiliating to the All-England Association and competing with 9 other counties at National level !

[syorksbilliards]

The last time we spoke to the New Barrack Tavern, they still had their table, but doesn't get used much..if at all. They also were re decorating the place and had taken it out for 5 weeks.

Hoping to talk to the guys from York in the next few days. and who know's what will happen from there!

\Spoke to the Scarborough Arms yesterday, and they want us to send over rules and info (most of their locals don't know how to play!)

Hope this helps!

Cheers

[Pete S]

Tommo

I work with R Cheyne who is still based in Doncaster. Might sign him up as a reserve as he travels all over the country !!!
I work for a company based in Doncaster.

Jeremy Clarkson territory too, Pete, although I don't think it would be a good idea to let him anywhere near a bar billiards table !

[syorksbilliards]

hi tommo

some great news i just found a new bar billiards table in Sheffield in steelers sports bar they only got it Thursday


[phone]

Steelers Sports Bar

Birley Moor Road

Sheffield, S12 2AU



[e-mail]



this is great news for the Yorkshire bb revival we are also hoping that the Scarborough arms are going to get a team together this will make four and we can start the Sheffield and district bar billiards league

thanks

steve

Great news indeed, Steve.
I'll get that one put on the map straightaway.

All the best with forming the Sheffield & District Bar Billiards League.......history in the making !

PS - Ooh I like the look of the waitress service in the Steelers' Texas Bar and Grill...........

[syorksbilliards]

hi tommo more updates can you add lennons snooker club Chesterfield to the map he bought his table from the rum runner retford so you can scratch them here is the 5 teams that hopefully make up the Sheffield and district bb league cross scythes gardeners rest steelers Scarborough arms lennons

thanks

steve

Hi Steve,

A couple more potential venues have been found for you within the county:

REINDEER INN, THORNE ROAD, SANDTOFT, DONCASTER, S.YORKS DN8 5SZ
HARE AND HOUNDS, 52 WELLGATE, ROTHERHAM, S.YORKS S60 2LR

(Information found through the web publication "InaPub Magazine")

Regards,

tommo

[syorksbilliards]

i have checked them out reindeer sold there table and the hare is now the William fry only have a pool table but thanks for the up date

thanks

steve

[syorksbilliards]

i have checked them out reindeer sold there table and the hare is now the William fry only have a pool table but thanks for the up date

thanks

steve

Thank you for the update !

Have taken them off again......(ooh er !)

[syorksbilliards]

just to let you know the first Sheffield v york BB comp will take place on Saturday the 23rd august cross scythes and gardeners rest will make the day trip up to york cant wait

Yorkshire's first-ever Inter-League competition !

A great piece of history and I trust you will display a full record of it on here for posterity.

Hope this will become a periodic challenge and maybe some sponsorship could be provided for you in future years.