By Elliott West
“What a night!”.
Castle Sports Bar
Introduction
Brighton has always been a place where people have traditionally flocked to sample the sea air, the thriving lanes, Brighton Pavilion and the various culinary delights that this East Sussex town offers. So it was a delight to learn that Judd Trump had agreed to play a snooker exhibition in the Castle Snooker and Sports Bar. A club that I have written about before and often plays host to showcase players, numerous local handicaps, scratch and pro-am tournaments, weekly league and ladder matches and has a thriving junior circuit. Priding itself on being the best snooker and pool club in Sussex, the club opened in 2014 and has eleven full-sized snooker tables over two floors and thirteen pool tables, this leading light in the Brighton community, is always awash with cue sports, a club that I still dearly wish to visit.
The Night in Question
Held on a Saturday when Chelsea and Liverpool were fighting it out in the FA Cup final, the doors of the club were opened early at 4.30 pm to allow ticket holders of the exhibition to watch the match live on the big screens and have the chance to peruse and purchase numerous items of Judd Trump memorabilia. With 24 VIP tickets available, complimentary drinks for those who got one and seating very close to the table itself, standard ticket holders, a mix of standing and seated were set slightly further back but still at the centre of the action.
When Judd arrived prior to the start of the evening, the Bristolian made every effort to engage with his fans, posing for photographs and signing numerous autographs. A player with a beaming smile but someone who is usually shy and reserved in the public eye, Judd Trump shone in his first appearance to those in the club and gave those lucky enough to attend, a snippet of the real person behind this highly talented and successful snooker player who has risen to the heady heights of number two in the world rankings.
Ten percent of the money raised from ticket sales and proceeds on the night was split between the MacMillan cancer charity and going to help a close friend of the Castle Club, David Morgan, who sadly is currently being treated for Stage 4 bowel cancer since his initial diagnosis two years ago. Someone who has been forced to sell his business and endure numerous rounds of chemotherapy. This has been a tough time for David, his wife Kirsty and his children, Poppy, Iris and Rory but despite these life challenges, Morgan has continued to play snooker at the club and recently recorded the highest break seen at the club, a tremendous 145 clearance.
Up Close and Personal
This was a night for Judd Trump to shine for his fans and audience and with Colin Philips as the Master of Ceremonies, sporting a jacket that was brighter than any coastal lighthouse and Richard Barnicoat as a safe pair of gloved hands as the referee, the evening was guaranteed to be a success. After a day of bright sunshine on the Brighton beaches and waters, Judd dazzled the crowd with the fizz and whizz of his live play, entertaining them with flair and powerful shots that produced along the way, a brilliant century break. The audience was gripped and applauded their hero of snooker who was probably initially nervous and apprehensive about this new venture but would have left elated and will now do future exhibitions up and down the country when not playing it the hectic and packed diary of the snooker season. A great night of snooker put on by all those involved in the Castle Club in Brighton and one that they and Judd can be very proud of.
