Snookered yachties see red over loss
KEEN cueists at a yacht club on Hobart’s Eastern Shore have been snookered by a decision to get rid of the tables on which they play their much-loved sport.
The Bellerive Yacht Club board met on Tuesday night and made the call, after having sought feedback on a proposal to remove the two tables which they argued took up too much floor space and were not cost-effective.
But snooker players at the club are displeased and say they will protest the move.
Mike Pace, an 18-year member of the club, said the decision had not gone down well with some members.
“Everyone’s outraged … really disgusted,’’ he said.
“It’s not a good look for the club … they haven’t realised we even had a team in the competition.”
Mr Pace was referring to a comment in communication from the club about the proposal, which said the club “no longer has a competitive team”, despite having an Agrade team in the Southern Tasmanian Billiards and Snooker Association that recently won the grand final.
Club Commodore Jeff Cordell said the tables took up considerable floor space and it needed to be used more efficiently.
“We’re a growing club and we need the space to provide more services to the growing membership,’’ he said.
“We fully appreciate some are going to be very disappointed.”
Mr Cordell said the club had about 1000 members and of those who submitted feedback, there was “more than double” in favour of the plan to remove the tables than those against it.
He said “a clear majority” of the board voted to remove the tables, which would be offered to members for sale.
Before the final decision was made, club member of 23 years Steve Carroll said the tables were a key part of the social aspect and it would be “devastating” if they were permanently taken away.
“I’ve been there since 1988 and I’ve been playing snooker since 1980,’’ Mr Carroll said.
“It would be devastating really, not only for us, but just the casual player that comes in and plays, and more so the older guys that are there now.”
Mr Carroll, who was part of the club’s recent A-grade grand final-winning team, said he would quit the club if it pulled the pin on the social activity.
“I’d leave the club, definitely. I wouldn’t go back there,’’ he said.
In a note to members predecision, the return for use of the pool tables in the past 12 months was $960, while the cost was $1800.
The note was accompanied by a list of nine perceived advantages of getting rid of the tables and three disadvantages.