International and National
A variety of competitions exist at the local and county level including inter-league and county opens. Sussex is a particular hotbed of activity and Steve Mariner of the Sussex Bar Billiards league can be contacted for further details.
A county championship competition exists which is played in September each year. Usual competitors are - Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire. At the national level, there are a variety of "All England" competitions and opens for singles, pairs, men, women, under 22s and over 50s. The Channel Islands also have their own set of competitions at a somewhat smaller scale.
Internationally, the game is not exactly global in its scope, although it's known to be played in Ireland and the USA. There are however, primarily two countries/territories with association bodies - the Channel Islands and England. The biggest Bar Billiards competition is held in Jersey each year - the British Isles open. Teams from Jersey and England compete for the annually awarded trophy - home advantage usually being the deciding factor.
For some years, the British Bar Billiards website has hosted the phenomenal Bar Billiards locations map. It shows that Bar Billiards is still thriving, despite the fact that there are no large scale makers of tables an longer (as at February 2025). Click on the button in the top left to pull up different regions of Britain and then scroll in to see the detail...
Local Leagues
West Sussex Bar Billiards [ Website disappeared Jan 2021 ]
Sussex County Bar Billiards Association
Lewes and District Bar Billiards League
The Jersey Bar Billiards League [ Website disappeared March 2022 ]
City Bar Billiards League (Medway Area) (This is based around Rochester,
Kent, submitted by Garry Speller,
May 2000).
Maidstone
Dover, Deal and District
(central venue is The Alma, West Street, Deal. Originally sbmitted Chris Saville,
March 2001 but ceased in mid 2022)
Berkshire
Surrey and Oxford
Isle of Jersey
Brighton and District
Worthing and District
Horsham
Redhill and District
Eastbourne
Billinghurst
Littlehampton
West Sussex
Sudbury and District
Newmarket & Cambridge 4-Pin Bar Billiards League (submitted David 'Taffy' Lloyd, Feb 2025)
David Lloyd sent in a report of the status of the pubs in this league. The following 12 pubs/Clubs have 4-pin tables in their establishments both in and around Newmarket & Cambridge. Those that are marked new have appeared since his last report in Jan 2023. There are 7 of those and apparently 8 have ceased to host the game.
- Newnham Croft Social & Sports Club, Hardwick St, CAMBRIDGE. CB3 9JB Narrow Sams - Excellent. The only ‘Narrow’ in Cambridgeshire!
- The King Street Run, 86 King Street, CAMBRIDGE. CB1 1LN. Jelks - Unplayable due to a tear
- The White Horse, Milton. 20-22 High St, Milton, Cambridge CB24 6AJ (below par Jelks, needs new cushion rubbers and leatherette + D. Can also play 3-pin). (League table).
- Barrington Social Club. 63 High St, Barrington, Cambridge. CB22 7QX. (excellent Jelks) Club is open on Fridays and Saturdays. New.
- The White Lion, 96 High St, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3JH (Jelks, Pre-War, reclothed). The most popular table for the public in Cambs. 3-4 games per evening.
- The Rose, 81 London Rd, Stapleford, Cambridge CB22 5DG. (Jelks, 1954 we think. VVG condition) In the lounge side of this busy Gastro pub. New.
- The Plough, 57-59 St Peter's St, Duxford, Cambridge CB22 4RP. (Jelks, Beautiful Pre-War, old cloth, still looks great!). New.
- Bottisham Community Sports & Social Club. 31 Downing Cl, Bottisham, Cambridge CB25 9DD Average Jelks, cushion rubbers are a bit hard. Can also play 3-pin. The only 50p table!
- Exning Road Working Men’s Club, 54 Exning Rd, NEWMARKET, CB8 0AB Sams, Excellent, highest scoring table (League table)
- The Dyke’s End, Fair Green, Reach, Cambs. CB25 0JD (South of Newmarket). Jelks, very good
- Maids Head, Wicken. 12 High St, Wicken, Ely CB7 5XR (South of Newmarket). Jelks - very good. (League Table) New.
- The Red Lion, 214 The Street, Kirtling, Newmarket CB8 9PD (North of Newmarket). Jelks - very good. New.
Also, the game known as Snookerette is here in the Wisbech area:
- THE BLACK BEAR, 27 OLD LYNN ROAD, WALSOKEN, WISBECH, CAMBS PE13 35B (Sams - Good). Table likely to leave soon as pub now an Indian Restaurant/Pub.
- HIGHWAYMAN, Lynn Road, Highway Walton, Wisbech, Norfolk. PE14 7DE. (Very old LONG Sams. Was the table in the Railway Vue, Histon and blue cloth back then). Replacement for the Black Bear table - likely to exit that pub soon. New.
- WISBECH TOWN & CRICKET CLUB, Harecroft Rd, Wisbech, Cambs. PE13 1RL (unknown) New.
- THE BELL, 8 Murrow Bank, Murrow, Wisbech St Mary, Wisbech, Cambs. PE13 4HB (Pre-war Sams ornate, slow, but tidy) New.
Lost since Jan 2023 are Landbeach Social, Railway Vue (Histon), Burwell Social Club, Witchford Social, White Swan at Stow-cum-Quy, Comrades Club (Soham), The Hoops (Barton), Willingham Social Club.
Hastings and Bexhill Bar Billiards League
The Bull, Bexhill Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea (submitted Nick Speight, July
2001, nick@nspeight.freeserve.co.uk.
Nick would welcome any pubs or people interested in taking part).
Wellingborough and District Bar Billiards League (submitted Alan Coates,
Nov 2000, updated Robert McLean Nov 2005. This is 4 pin Bar Billiards
consisting of following teams)
Crown & Anchor Wellingborough
The Eagle Wellingborough
The Park Tavern W'boro with 2 Teams
The Ranelagh W'Boro
The Royal W'Boro with 2 Teams
The Vounteer W'Boro with 2 Teams
Norwich Bar Billiards (submitted )
4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) PIG AND WHISTLE, 2-8 ALL SAINTS GREEN, NORWICH, NR1 3NA.
(4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) GOLDEN STAR, 57 COLEGATE, NORWICH NR3 1DD
(4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) KINGS HEAD, 42 MAGDALEN ST, NORWICH NR3 1JE
(4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) PLASTERERS ARMS, 43 COWGATE, NORWICH NR3 1SZ
(4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) WHITE LION, 73 OAK STREET, NORWICH NR3 3AQ
(4-PIN, LEAGUE VENUE) THE COTTAGE, 9 SILVER ROAD, NORWICH NR3 4TB
Suffolk Bar Billiards play the four-pin Bar Billiards variant and have a Facebook page as at February 2025.
April 2015 Geraint Davies informed me that the game was becoming quite popular in York over the previous 2 years and now has 8 teams in their league. See their website York Bar Billiards and Facebook page too. The next season starts soon with at least 8 well supported teams *up from no teams about 2 n half years ago.
yorkbarbilliards.com
Pubs
If you want to submit your pub to this list, please just email me.
London
The following was the list of pubs known in London with the game - just 5 as at April 2006.
The Glass House Stores, Brewer Street, Soho, London (1999).
The Pembury Tavern, 90 Amhurst Road, Hackney, London E8 1JH
The Owl and the Pussycat E2
The Hope and Anchor, Hornsey, N8
Nicholas Nickleby, Finsbury Park
The Dog and Bell in Deptford. (Submitted Bob Walker, April 2007)
The Phoenix, Old Sunbury (submitted Martin Bartholomew, Dec 2001)
The Cheshire Cheese, 5 Little Essex Street (off The Strand) London WC2R 3LD Tel: 020 7836 2347 (installed by Masters Traditional Games, Jan 2010)
The Railway, 1 Avenue Street, Portwood Stockport SK1 2BZ (submitted Stephen Shaw March 2017)
(See the table on youtube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxdNSPvxEM)
Blossoms Inn - 2 Buxton Road, Heavily, Stockport, Gtr Manchester SK2 6NU (submitted Stephen Shaw March 2017)
The Watermans Arms, 1 Ferry lane, Brentford. TW8 0AW (submitted Gordon Fry, November 2017
North of Birmingham
Hogs Head pub near the Arndale Centre/Affleck's Palace, Central Manchester
(submitted Jan 2001, Nick Rowan)
The Waters Edge Tyne and Wear South Shields NE 33 2JH (submitted April
2001, George Dickson).
Tommy Duck's Whisky Bar (Previously the Frog & Bucket comedy club) off
Piccadilly gardens, Central Manchester (submitted Jan 2001, Nick Rowan)
The Lock and Lace public house, Wilford Street Nottingham. (submitted
Oct 2001, Fran Davies)
The Golden Ball, Cromwell Road, York (sub. 'Elaine', Nov 2002)
North of Watford
The Telegraph, Moulton, Northampton (2000)
The Cannon, Wellingborough (2000)
The Cambridge Tap, Wellingborough (2000)
The Walnut Tree Inn, 12 Station
Road, Blisworth, Northants NN7 3DS (Jan 2007)
Our Mutual Friend Public House, Broadwater Crescent, Stevenage, Hertfordshire,
SG2 8EH, 01438 312282 (sub. Andy Rawnsley Jan 2003)
Royal Oak, 26 Witney Street, Burford Oxfordshire (submitted Mike Dolman,
April 2008)
Morris Clown, High Street, Bampton Oxfordshire (submitted Mike Dolman,
April 2008)
The Tandem pub, Keninton, Oxford
The Chequers, Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, OX6 8QH, Tel: 01780 350319
(submitted June 200, Andy )
The Angel & Greyhound, St Clements, Oxford (sub. Chris Winchester, March,
2003)
Killingworth Castle, Wootton, Oxfordshire (submitted Mike Dolman, May
2008)
Mason's Arms, Headington Quarry, Oxford (submitted Mike Dolman, May 2008)
John Barleycorn, Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (submitted Mike Dolman,
May 2008)
The Goat, 37 Sopwell Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire (correct as at April
2008)
The White Swan, Upper Dagnall Street, St. Albans, Hertfordshire (correct
as at April 2008)
The Morgan, Great Malvern, Worcestershire (Feb 2011, Mike Dolman)
Chase Inn, Upper Colwall, Herefordshire (Feb 2011, Mike Dolman)
Following submitted
The U.K. Leisure Club, Sittingbourne, Kent (submitted Garry
Speller, May 2000).
The Henty in Ferring, Worthing,West Sussex (sub. Bob Dowler, Jan 2003)
The Crown & Anchor, Dell Quay, Chichester(submitted Martin Bartholemew,
Dec 2001)
Plough High Street, Lower Wanborough, nr.Swindon Wiltshire (submitted
Mike Dolman, April 2008)
Trotting Horse, Bushton, nr.Swindon Wiltshire (submitted Mike Dolman,
April 2008)
Railway, London Road, Fairford Gloucestershire (submitted Mike Dolman,
April 2008)
Bell, Walcot Street, Bath Somerset (submitted Mike Dolman, April 2008)
New Inn, Halse, Taunton, Somerset. TA4 3AF. Tel. 01823 432352 (submitted
Mark Leadeham, June 02)
Highbury Vaults, St. Michael's Hill, Bristol (submitted Mike Dolman, May
2008)
Unicorn St. Dunstan's Street, Canterbury, Kent (submitted Mike Dolman,
May 2008)
King's Head, Wincheap, Canterbury, Kent (submitted Mike Dolman, May 2008)
Stone Horse, Dillywood Lane, Higham, Kent (submitted Mike Dolman, May
2008)
Black Lion, Lynsted, Kent (submitted Mike Dolman, May 2008)
Good Intent, John Street, Rochester, Kent (submitted Mike Dolman, May
2008)
The Merchant, Battersea Rise, London. (submitted Mark Jeater, July 2008)
The Raglan Arms, Upper Church Road, Weston Super Mare (Craig Savage, Feb
2009. Apparently they have a narrow Sams Bar Billiards table).
The Criterion, Weston-Super-Mare (Feb 2011, second hand report from Mike
Dolman)
Seymour Arms, Witham Friary, Somerset (Feb 2011, Mike Dolman)
The Ship, Upavon, Wiltshire (Feb 2011, Mike Dolman)
Overseas
Pint's Pub, Denver, Colorado, USA (submitted Nov 2000 Steve Kaus)