A new darts and snooker hall in Dundee has been delayed due to a national pool table shortage.
Planning permission and an alcohol licence have both been granted for the games centre, in the former Battlefield Live laser tag and paintball unit at the leisure park on Douglasfield Road.
It had been hoped the venue would open this year but Powrie Dundee Ltd, the firm behind the plans, said this has been delayed due to a long waiting list for pool tables.
This has been blamed on people snapping them up for “man caves” and garden pubs.
Opening delayed
Publican Mark McGurty, who runs Powrie Dundee, said he is “delighted” to secure an alcohol licence for the venue, but his opening plans have been derailed.
“This is the first time I’ve lodged any application for that site and it’s gone through smoothly so I’m really chuffed to bits,” he said.
However, Mr McGurty said that his hope of being open for the end of 2021 was no longer viable.
He said: “I definitely won’t be (the end of 2021) now.
“There’s a lot of work still to be undertaken and there’s actually a national shortage of pool tables.”
Pool tables being bought for ‘man caves’
He added: “There’s a waiting list that’s up until March so I might have to source some tables from elsewhere.
“It’s looking like we’ll be speaking about March at least before we can think about being ready to open.
“There’s a few factors – things like people owning ‘man caves’, things like that.”
The hall – which will open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays – will host various competitions throughout the year, as well as selling food and drink.
Mr McGurty, 47 – who runs the Barrels and the High Corner pubs in the Hilltown – previously said it was a site he had hoped to develop for a number of years.
Chris Carroll, owner of Tayside Snooker Services, which sells pool and snooker tables worldwide, and provides resurfacing and repair work, said a “perfect storm” of events had led to the shortage.
Chris, 51, who also helps run the Tivoli Snooker Club with dad, Jim, said: “A big factor in the shortage is the number of people buying pool tables for their houses or ‘man caves’, pubs in their gardens, things like that.
“Before Covid you had four main manufacturers of tables in the UK. During the first lockdown, three of the main four closed down. That obviously caused a backlog.
“Then you had issues sourcing the raw materials. One of the main suppliers of raw materials for tables is based in China and with Covid being so bad over there, they didn’t have the manpower to man the docks and ship the stuff abroad.”
Pool tables shot up in price
He added: “One supplier I know was selling tables for around £2,500 – that’s gone up to around £8,000, so almost a four-fold increase.
“Second-hand prices have gone through the roof too. Tables that would previously go for £200, they’re being sold for £300/£400 maybe £500 now.”
Chris, a keen amateur snooker player himself, who once scored a maximum 147 break, said one of the main suppliers he knows of in England has a backlog so lengthy that some new orders may not be completed until April or May next year.
Chris said rather than buying the pre-made parts for tables, some suppliers are buying the raw materials such as MDF from DIY stores and building parts themselves.
And, a freak flood at a factory of Simionuis in mainland Europe, one of the world’s leading pool and snooker cloth manufacturers, has also added to the problem.
Douglas pool and snooker venture gets licence
Graham Petrie, who represented Powrie Dundee Ltd at the meeting said: “Mr McGurty has been a licence holder since 2005 and is heavily involved in the pool league in Dundee.
“It’s his love of the game that got him interested in opening the venue.
“There are two other similar venues but they are both in the centre of Dundee.
Pool hall ‘excellent for the north of Dundee’
“This would be excellent for the north of Dundee.
“He wants to create a top-class snooker and pool hall, and the alcohol would be to complement that experience for its patrons.”
It was also noted the business would be likely to create two full-time and four part-time jobs.
Councillor Stewart Hunter, chairing the meeting, granted the licence with no objections from committee members.
