A golden period for snooker - but are UK clubs returning from doldrums?

A golden period for snooker - but are UK clubs returning from doldrums?Image source, Northern Snooker CentreImage caption, Snooker clubs are desperate to attract the next generation of snooker playersBySteve SutcliffeBBC Sport Journalist at the Crucible Theatre, SheffieldPublished14 minutes agoCommentsSnooker is booming. The appetite for the game across the globe is at record levels and prize money looks to only be heading in one direction, despite the recent loss of the lucrative Saudi Arabia Masters.The World Championship has showcased a new wave of exciting talent, with Wu Yize reaching the semi-finals and the likes of Stan Moody, Liam Pullen and Antoni Kowalski all displaying their rich promise on their debuts. John Higgins' march to the last four also suggests that the sport's fabled Class of 92 remain a force in the top echelons of the game. Yet, against that positive backdrop, the condition of the sport's grassroots comes into view after years of decline for local snooker clubs. BBC Sport looks at what went wrong and the efforts being made to deliver a resurgence.'Snooker's recovery' 40 years after classic finalAttributionNewsPublished19 April 2025How 'dropouts' hangout' became snooker's ultimate stagePublished20 AprilThe fall before the riseThe Rileys chain, once also synonymous with providing equipment for the highest level of the sport, was perhaps the most recognisable face of snooker clubs across the UK at one time.However it now operates just 15 clubs, an alarming drop-off from the 165 during its peak years. Yet that downturn has been far from unusual across the UK's major cities and towns.Simply trying to organise a few frames with friends has become challenging for those that play recreationally, while searching phrases like 'snooker club closed down' online highlights the depth of club closures impacting communities. Famed establishments like the Willie Thorne Snooker Centre in Leiceste...