

The American table size relates to the actual playing surface and not the cabinet size. American tables are usually 7ft, 8ft or 9ft in size. The confusion again comes from the original American game of pool. The 7ft UK table means that the overall cabinet dimensions are 7ft x 4ft and not the playing surface. When talking about a UK table we talk about the overall table size and not the playing area. Is the playing surface 6ft or 7ft?Ī common mistake made with UK pool table size is often regarding the actual playing surface of the table. The 7ft has a slightly higher skill level but both table sizes provide great entertainment. In terms of which is best. Both Pool Tables really provide an excellent game. We would however guess that around 70% of UK bars have 7ft tables and 30% are 6ft tables. These days so many pubs are closing or becoming food led that the pool tables are disappearing at an alarming rate. It is difficult to put an exact figure on the split of tables in the bars. Still to this day the majority of pubs have a 7ft table but the 6ft is growing in popularity. It still had a large enough playing surface to provide an enjoyable game.


This is when the 6ft x 3’6 table came into production. The game of pool boomed and every pub in the country wanted a table.Īlthough the 7ft UK made table solved the space problem for the majority of pubs it was still too large for many. The Superleague pool tables produced by Hazel Grove in Stockport were the table of choice and they could not be made quickly enough. Suddenly UK pool was born and the demand could not have been higher. This created a higher skill level for the player and also solved the space issue for most pubs. They also used the woollen napped cloth that you find on snooker tables instead of the faster worsted speed cloth found on the American models. The 7ft English pool tables were produced with a similar ball to pocket ratio to Snooker. UK cue sports fans had always enjoyed the skill element of snooker and this meant the American game wasn’t as popular with players. The problem with the larger American tables was that in the UK space is at a premium and pubs simply did not have the room for the larger size game.Īlso the American pool tables use the bigger 2 ¼ inch balls and have bigger pockets. This was the 7ft x 4ft pool table and it was developed for the UK pub market.īefore the invention of these tables the American larger tables were the only real option for players. When English pool was first invented in the early 70’s there was only one size of table. Both the 6ft x 3’6 and the 7ft x 4ft tables are found in bars throughout Britain. Official league tables are either 6ft or 7ft in size.
