A petition to save the Victoria Snooker Centre in Camden Road is seeking support.
The Victoria Snooker Centre in Tunbridge Wells is under threat of demolition as part of redevelopment proposals by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. A design team is currently preparing plans for a planning application which would only see the frontage of the building retained. The petition calls on the Council to reconsider and protect this irreplaceable, family-run community asset.
Snooker clubs across the UK are under threat of closure and this would be another devastating loss despite the sport's increasingly global appeal. Snooker, pool and darts are inclusive sports that everyone can enjoy and the club is a lively place to play, compete, see live exhibitions and socialise.
It is the largest snooker club in the area, serving generations of local people. Housed in the historic Friendlies Hall, built in 1861 by the Friendly Society Charity, the building has been a social hub for over 160 years. From the Friendlies Club to the Kent & Sussex Club, and since 1995 as the Victoria Snooker Club, its walls hold living sporting history. Championship honours boards dating back to 1930 still hang proudly on the walls today.
It also supports regional leagues such as the Crowborough and district snooker league, established since at least 1952.
The current owners have sustained the club as a welcoming, inclusive space for people of all ages and backgrounds. Losing it would mean losing a vital community hub, local heritage, a place to play one of Britain's most popular sports and a place filled with shared memories.
The petition aims to urge Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, as current landlord, to listen to the community and work to preserve the Victoria Snooker Centre for future generations.
For further information and to sign the petition visit: https://www.change.org/p/save-victoria-snooker-centre
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