Cueing up for huge new club

Snooker chain Rileys has revealed it aims to open its 15,000 sq ft super club in Stourbridge by the start of 2008. Rileys has been scouting several locations in the town.

It is looking for somewhere with enough room for up to 34 snooker and pool tables, bars, a lounge and dining area.

Spokesman Alan Mason said a final site had not yet been confirmed, but the company was hoping to have found somewhere and completed building by January 2008.

The chain announced it was looking to open a club in the area at the end of last year after closing its Brierley Hill site.

But it has now revealed the size of the planned new club, which will be between 10,000 and 15,000 sq ft.

Mr Mason said: "We need to find somewhere with room to house the club and obviously that can take some time.

"Stourbridge has been identified as a location for one of our new Midlands clubs and we are still committed to that at this time," he added.

"We could maybe have an opening in December but otherwise we will be looking at the start of 2008."

Around 2,000 members of Rileys Brierley Hill club were left disappointed after the long-running club closed at the end of last year.

The news of a new Stourbridge snooker hall will also be welcomed by players in the town facing the loss of Minnesota Fats snooker and pool hall.

Birmingham-based Clockfair Ltd, owner of Minnesota Fats in Parkfield Road, is selling the club off for new apartments to be built in its place.

Dennis Dowling, managing director of Minnesota Fats, said new bars opening in Stourbridge Town Centre had meant the club had lost out on drinkers.

And he said the popularity of snooker halls had waned in general.