Billiards club has to move due to school renovations: championship club is looking for rooms

Bergisch Gladbach (kg). The game of balls is said to have developed in the Middle Ages. One depiction, for example, shows Louis XIV playing billiards. Back then there was still a goal on the table and the clubs were more reminiscent of golf than today’s cues. The Bergisch Gladbacher Billard Club (BGBC) 1926 offers the three most popular games today: pool billiards, snooker and carom. The 500 square meter basement rooms have been located on the edge of the Paffrath Integrated Comprehensive School (IGP) since 1996 and can be reached via a ramp. The BGBC offers its 60 members, among other things, three tournament rooms, several gaming tables and a club room with a bar and seats.
“A new clubhouse should ideally be of the same size and, depending on the size of the floor space, be at least 350 square meters,” says Karl-Heinz Sefrin. The chairman describes that the lease runs until the end of 2027 and that the city has not yet given an option to extend it. “The IGP will be renovated or rebuilt over several years,” he explains. New rooms should be in the Bergisch Gladbach area, the price per year and square meter is two euros. “We rely on the support of mentors, sponsors, interest groups and the city,” says Sefrin. “We need stable, level floors for games and tournaments.”
The chairman has been playing billiards for half a century and talks about the many important German titles that the BGBC has won. These include various individual championships, several times as runner-up and once as champion in three-cushion, several cup victories in three-cushion and participation in the three-cushion European Cup qualification. “We are currently playing with three cushions in the 2nd Bundesliga, the Oberliga and the NRW State League,” reports Karl-Heinz Sefrin proudly. “The three-cushion cup final was held at the beginning of October, and the second Bundesliga season is currently underway.” In addition, the BGBC is one of the few large clubs that supports German billiards as an organizer for the German championships. “We are also planning to bring four Junior European Championships to Bergisch Gladbach. We are already holding initial discussions with the city about this,” reports the BGBC chairman. Karl-Heinz Sefrin says that billiards means fun, balance, a sporting challenge, sociability and social contacts. When asked what the club would do if no new clubhouse could be found, he said: “Lights out, door closed and dissolution meeting.” Information about the club can be found at www.bgbc1926.de or by email to info @bgbc1926.de