Great news as Preston’s Guild Hall hosts the return of top class snooker.
The Players Championship Grand Final will be staged in the city. The tournament was originally pegged to be played in the Thai capital, Bangkok, but political unrest made the venue unsafe.
The Guild Hall last staged the UK Championships from 1978 to 1997. It also hosted Snooker’s Grand Prix for seven years from the late nineties. The green baize has not been seen in the Guild Hall since 2005.
Over the years Preston was seen as one of the premier snooker tournament venues in the country.
Snooker star Steve Davis won his first major title at the 1980 Coral UK Championship in Preston. His win at the 1986 Tennents UK Championship took his career winnings past the £1 million mark for the first time, making him snookers first millionaire.
Alex Higgins was fined £12,000 and banned for 5 competitions after head-butting an official at the tournament in Preston in 1986.
Ronnie O’Sullivan won his first major snooker tournament at the Guild Hall in 1993. He was just 17 and became the youngest ever winner of the event and of any major snooker title.
The event at Preston is the final of a series of events that took place in Europe and Asia last year and up to this month.
The 32 top players competing in the Grand Final include 24 players from the European Tour Order of Merit and 8 players from the Asian Order of Merit
A huge prize fund £300,000 is on offer with £100,000 going to the winner.
Councillor Peter Rankin, leader of Preston City Council, said: “It is great to welcome back the world’s best snooker players to Preston and back to the Guild Hall, a venue which has been synonymous with the sport over the years.
“There is a great appetite for snooker in the region and I am sure people will want to come out and see the top stars of the sport competing in the Guild Hall.”
Sessions will be broadcast on Eurosport.
Tickets will be on sale from 24th February and available from the Guild Hall Box Office by calling Box Office 0844 844 7710 or visiting the Guild Hall website.
You can claim half price tickets from 24 February to Monday 3 March by quoting PRESTON147 when booking tickets.
To find out more about the even visit http://www.worldsnooker.com/or call 0117 3178300.
25 March to 29 March 2014
Preston Guild Hall
Lancaster Rd
Preston
PR1 1HT