Reigate Red Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 I was watching the Rack Pack the other night on TV about snooker in the late 70’s & early 80’s and my mind wandered back to my yoof playing snooker in the Paragon Snooker Hall. It was located up a set of stairs above a shop in North Street near Raleigh Road. You walked past a bunch of blokes playing cards into a dark dingy room with about seven snooker tables. Compulsory hanging cloud of cigarette smoke. A real selection of punters. Always remember one who used to place a battered old suitcase onto your table to offer a selection of “cheap” goods – could have been a spiv from the 40’s. Anyone else spend their misspent youth there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 I think this was based in what was orignally a cinema? I took some photos of it back nearly 10 years ago - it was bought by our ex chairman Scott Davidson and then turned into flats the following year. Pictures here: http://www.whateversleft.co.uk/leisure/ashton-plaza-cinema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reigate Red Posted May 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Yep - that's the one. I don't recall though ever seeing a glint of daylight in it when it was a snooker hall - it looks so different with the light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esmond Million's Bung Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 40 minutes ago, Reigate Red said: I was watching the Rack Pack the other night on TV about snooker in the late 70’s & early 80’s and my mind wandered back to my yoof playing snooker in the Paragon Snooker Hall. It was located up a set of stairs above a shop in North Street near Raleigh Road. You walked past a bunch of blokes playing cards into a dark dingy room with about seven snooker tables. Compulsory hanging cloud of cigarette smoke. A real selection of punters. Always remember one who used to place a battered old suitcase onto your table to offer a selection of “cheap” goods – could have been a spiv from the 40’s. Anyone else spend their misspent youth there? Spent many an hour in there far too many years ago. The bloke of whom you talk is probably Big Bad Bill Britten allegedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 8 minutes ago, Reigate Red said: Yep - that's the one. I don't recall though ever seeing a glint of daylight in it when it was a snooker hall - it looks so different with the light. There was still a table in there ten years ago - probably more hassle to get it out again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmersonsKev Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 1 hour ago, Tomarse said: I think this was based in what was orignally a cinema? I took some photos of it back nearly 10 years ago - it was bought by our ex chairman Scott Davidson and then turned into flats the following year. Pictures here: http://www.whateversleft.co.uk/leisure/ashton-plaza-cinema Is the website all your work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Said Red Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 11 hours ago, Reigate Red said: I was watching the Rack Pack the other night on TV about snooker in the late 70’s & early 80’s and my mind wandered back to my yoof playing snooker in the Paragon Snooker Hall. It was located up a set of stairs above a shop in North Street near Raleigh Road. You walked past a bunch of blokes playing cards into a dark dingy room with about seven snooker tables. Compulsory hanging cloud of cigarette smoke. A real selection of punters. Always remember one who used to place a battered old suitcase onto your table to offer a selection of “cheap” goods – could have been a spiv from the 40’s. Anyone else spend their misspent youth there? 11 hours ago, Tomarse said: I think this was based in what was orignally a cinema? I took some photos of it back nearly 10 years ago - it was bought by our ex chairman Scott Davidson and then turned into flats the following year. Pictures here: http://www.whateversleft.co.uk/leisure/ashton-plaza-cinema 11 hours ago, Esmond Million's Bung said: Spent many an hour in there far too many years ago. The bloke of whom you talk is probably Big Bad Bill Britten allegedly. Yes I was a regular in the Paragon, first with my dad as a small boy and later with my mates. There were probably 2 good tables in the whole place and as a boy you could get yourself a free game and a bit of profit by getting in early and getting the best table. Then a couple of blokes would usually come in and offer you money to switch to a different table so they could play for cash on that table.:) . One of the guys that used to do that was Bill whom I came to know later playing pool in the Hen and Chicken, despite his somewhat dubious reputation (I only go by rumours) he was good company. My dad who was a very straight laced civil servant, used to think he was "a gentleman", i never had the heart to tell him some of the stories I heard,. Who knows they may have been all exaggerated anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 9 hours ago, EmersonsKev said: Is the website all your work? Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City fan 1982 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 me and my best mate used get the bus up from portishead, spent many winter nights up the paragon, the old guy used to run it was a guy called dick ? i believe . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southstandoriginal Posted May 8, 2016 Report Share Posted May 8, 2016 The Plaza as a cinema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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