Moorhouse’s Golden Cue snooker tournament for East Lancashire clubs has enjoyed a third successful year.
In 2007 sponsorship from Moorhouse’s, the North West’s leading dedicated cask-ale brewer, revived the once highly popular Golden Cue contest – run through the Burnley Express Newspaper – following a 16 year absence.
Amateur players among club members from Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley are eligible to enter the individual contest. With a total pot of £1,000, there is a first prize of £500 and second of £250.
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Last year we increased the sponsorship and the tournament has once again proved a success as the resurgence of snooker in clubs across East Lancashire continues unabated. Meanwhile our award winning real ales continue to grow increasingly popular with club land customers. The contest has further raised our profile among clubs land while also boosting their own trade and we hope that many more clubs will get behind next season’s contest to make it even bigger.
The grand final was once again held at Burnley’s Ighten Leigh social club, where Neil McGovern was instrumental in resurrecting the competition.
Jimmy Waddington brushed off the distraction of a fire evacuation at the club to triumph in the final. The evacuation was, thankfully, a false alarm, and Lamb Club cueist Waddington kept his concentration to beat Colne Legion’s Dean Emmott 4-1 in an engrossing match.Waddington was in charge for the majority of the final, and despite no large breaks, a crowd of over 120 spectators were kept entertained. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, presented the trophy and £500 first prize to Waddington, while £250 went to runner up Emmott. Referees Dave Howe and John Timperley also received mementos of the competition.
This year Moorhouse’s embarked upon a £4.2m expansion which will triple production capacity to some 1000 barrels a week. When completed in 2011 the new complex will include a training school for publicans and a visitor centre.
