Whitley Lodge Enjoy the Benefits of Club Affiliation

One of the fantastic benefits of the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards’ (EPSB) new national 147 Club affiliation scheme is the chance to access bespoke insurance cover for your club.

All sports clubs have a duty of care responsibility to ensure anything they do does not cause injury or financial loss to others, or damage to their property. If such things to occur, the officers and officials of the club could find themselves legally liable to pay compensation.

To protect your officers and officials, the EPSB insurance scheme in partnership with Sports Insure provides access to specially-designed insurances for affiliated clubs.

One club that has affiliated with the EPSB and taken up the insurance scheme is Whitley Lodge Snooker & Sports Bar in Tyne and Wear.

We caught up with owner Richard Woods to find out why Whitley Lodge has joined The 147 Club and how the insurance cover will be a real benefit.

 Richard, why do you feel the 147 Club affiliation scheme is beneficial to grassroots snooker going forward?

I can initially see great advantages with the scheme to grow the game. Already, I can see an online presence, which can only help my club, especially the Club Finder, which will surely be used by players who might have to travel around and look for the nearest club. Snooker can benefit by having strength in numbers, and us all seeing what is working well at other clubs.

Are you pleased you have got involved as a club?

I’m delighted! It’s a chance to put our club out there on the map, and the annual fee – only £90 for Gold Membership – has already paid for itself with a great saving via Sports Insure.”

How were your dealings with Sports Insure in arranging your club insurance and are you happy with the cover you got?

Natalie [from Sports Insure] contacted me the day after I signed up and, by chance, my annual subscription with Direct Line was due. I talked through with Natalie the cover which suited me and she got back to me the very same day and reduced my annual payment by £304! Natalie was thorough and easy to do business with, sending me the policy documentation quickly via email.

What are your club’s plans for snooker development in your area?

Around 10/15 years ago, my club had a vibrant junior section. Three of those juniors went on to become professional players – Sam Craigie is now doing fine on the main tour. Sadly, we do not currently have a junior section, as the interest tailed off for some reason. I would like to get this started again, and I’ve a good friend (Peter Holland) – a professional in the mid-90s – who is a natural coach in his everyday life, and having recently talked with him, I’m confident he will become an affiliated coach at our club.

Would you recommend other clubs get involved in the 147 Club?

I’d certainly recommend it! I hope more clubs join up around the country and promote each other.

Sports Insure’s Associate Director Natalie Wale enjoyed working with Richard at Whitley Lodge Snooker & Sports Bar, commenting “As a sports specialist I know we can provide excellent cover and service to the ESPB clubs and also save them money. We turned around Richard’s quote within a couple of hours and he received his policy documents the next working day.”

The EPSB’s partnership with Sports Insure is another great reason for English clubs to affiliate to The 147 Club, which can be completed online at www.epsb.co.uk