Leicester City Council forces Riley's Willie Thorne snooker club to shut
A snooker club started up by Willie Thorne has been ordered to shut its doors because the city council wants the building back.
The Riley's Willie Thorne club, in Charles Street, opened for the last time yesterday and it is understood the space will be used for council staff being moved out of the crumbling New Walk Centre.
It was opened by the county snooker legend in 1980 and he ran it until about 14 years ago when it was taken over by the Riley's chain.
Professionals including Steve Davies and Alex Higgins have played there and it was also where city snooker stars Mark Selby and Joe Jogia honed their skills.
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Willie, who now has no involvement with the club, said: "It's the end of an era. There are some great memories I have of the club and it's sad it will be no more. At one point nine pros were regularly playing there and every pro in the game has played there at one time."
Mark Selby added: "It's a sad day because I wouldn't be where I was without Willie Thorne's. I played there from the age of 11 to 16 and Willie's brother, Malcolm, let me practice for free and he sponsored me in my first competitions.
"I have a lot of great memories of the club."
Westley Cooper, 33, of New Parks, Leicester, takes his six-year-old son Westley Jnr to the club regularly.
He said: "They've just dropped this bombshell on us this week that it's closing down. My son was in tears when he found out.
"I've been told the council are going to use the building as offices.
"It's such a friendly place and nowhere else in town will be the same."
Paul Newman, 46, of Aylestone, said: "It is upsetting. I've been going there for seven years and it's a good crowd there and you feel really relaxed. The other clubs in Leicester are probably all a third of the size.
"I enjoy playing their socially with friends but it's also part of Leicester's history. Snooker is something the city is known for now."
A member of staff at the club, who did not want to be named, said: "It's upsetting.
"We have to be out by October 12 and it's all happened really quickly.
"The city council own the building and they want this floor back because they've got to get out of the New Walk Centre. We haven't had any notice – I was told on Monday.
"The customers are devastated because this has been the home of snooker in Leicester since 1980."
A city council spokesman said: "The lease for the snooker hall was sold by Willie Thorne some years ago and the current operators have never signed a lease.
"We gave them notice we would be ending their tenancy and they have accepted this.
"We own the building and already have some offices there. We are looking at the options for using the rest of it for office accommodation but no plans have yet been drawn up."
No one from RIley's was available to comment yesterday.
Comments
by karinfall1955
Thursday, October 04 2012, 7:18PM
“I can remember as a small child going to this building with my mum to pay the rent on the council property we lived in. I used to love looking in the shop window next to the entrance; they sold lovely antique jewellery,I was fascinated.”
by Scottmason
Thursday, October 04 2012, 6:55PM
“I would'nt change my youth for the world, many an happy hour spent on the Green baize, and it kept me out of trouble, still love the game as much now as i did then!”
by Neil0123
Thursday, October 04 2012, 6:46PM
“Lets put the cat among the pigeons... If the building wasn't run by Rileys & the much loved local sportsman Willie Thorne but was run by (say) a religious group [possibly the As-Salaam Trust which is in the news in Thurnby at present] then would they have been equally keen to close it?
Sorry, I forgot, Rileys / Willie Thorne attracts people to Leicester & generates inward investment. It is this council's policy to do everything in their power to disrupt any successful business and drive them out of town!”
by Patrick4939
Thursday, October 04 2012, 5:50PM
“Why should the Council subsidise a commercial enterprise like Rileys ?
They can find other premises. This is a non-story. To Scottmason,
That is what we call a misspent youth.”
by neilalex
Thursday, October 04 2012, 3:05PM
“Malc would be turning in his grave, God bless him.”
by JohnnyLesta
Thursday, October 04 2012, 12:45PM
“Typical Leicester ****y Council doing just as they please without any consideration for the residents of Leicester, look what they did to the Pump and Tap, still breaks my heart every time I go past there - shame on you, LCC, working for themselves as usual!!!”
by Grant2010
Wednesday, October 03 2012, 10:59PM
“I wonder if there are any council employees that remember working at the "Munie" Mu-nicipal Buildings in Charles Street. It included a flat on the roof, a large show room for electrical goods, a cinema and even a nuclear shelter in the basement. This was on top of issuing driving licences and housing many departments.”
by Susieroe
Wednesday, October 03 2012, 5:48PM
“That Charles St. building has stood a lot longer than the Council Offices. Yet they say it is crumbling already? How much did the people of Leicester pay for such shoddy workmanship done on the cheap while being extremely costly?
I seem to remember that certain Council departments were run from the Charles St. Offices once. Ironic, isn't it!”
by Hamilton_Paul
Wednesday, October 03 2012, 5:03PM
“Hope SPS is not going to say he is the party of business!!!”
by unbiased
Wednesday, October 03 2012, 3:53PM
“A great shame”