By Elliott West
Introduction
Held at the Cafe Royal in London, the Continental Airlines London Masters was a tournament staged between 1989 – 1991. A non-ranking event, it was ran at a time in snooker when Stephen Hendry was in his ascendency. Organised by the WPBSA, this was one of a large batch of tournaments that didn’t survive the test of time but this one faired better than others by lasting for three years.
The Lights of London Town
With the majority of tournaments being held outside London, it was refreshing to see another event join the solidarity Masters at the Wembley Conference Centre. Rather than having to traipse to North London, this event was at the heart of London, held at the Cafe Royal Hotel in Regents Street, surrounded by the buzzing streets of Oxford Street, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.
This event location joins a long list of London venues over the course of snooker’s history including Thurston’s Hall, later Leicester Square Hall and then Burroughes Hall after it was bombed during the Second World War,used for many of the early World Championships in the Joe and Fred Davis eras, Victoria Halls for the 1969 and 1970 World Championships, won by John Spencer and Ray Reardon respectively and the brief resurrection of Pot Black between 2005-7 at the RAC Club in Pall Mall.
The Tournament
Held between 1989 and 1991, this tournament had the same winner on the first two occasions of it being held. In 1989 and 1990, the final was contested between Stephen Hendry and John Parrott with Hendry winning winning both times 4-2 and in 1991, Stephen faced Steve Davis in the final and was whitewashed 4-0.
Summary
Sadly no footage of these tournaments exists but I have included an impressive promotional poster from the 1989 event which shows a fireworks display behind Tower Bridge. Stephen Hendry won £35,000 for claiming victory that year and it had increased to £40,000 when Steve Davis won it in 1991. A professional invitational event that would be much welcomed again as the new snooker calendar is finalised.
