Minnesota Fats

Snooker halls are one of the most wonderfully seedy mainstays of British life. They’re dark, smoky (or at least they were before the ban), grimy and often have a few iffy characters around, often selling pitbull terriers or knock-​off DVDs. I graduated to this one after moving to the South Side from the West End, and it ticks all the above boxes nicely.
As well as getting the shifty atmosphere just right, Minnesota’s is actually also a good place to play snooker, probably the most under-​rated sport in the world. The tables are all in good nick, are well spaced out, and there’s a few American-​style pool tables as well if you’re after a quicker, less tactical experience. There’s also a few big TVs for watching sport, and a rather spacious bar that plays host to a few friendly local alcoholics, as well as the snooker players unwinding after a few 147s.
5 stars for Minnesota Fats, then and 5 stars for snooker in general. Anyone who doesn’t like it is obviously nuts