There can’t be many sports equipment makers that can lay claim to a history nearly as old as the sport around which their manufacturing activity revolves, but Riley snooker equipment manufacturers are one of them. This English company began making snooker tables at the end of the 19th century, just a few years after the game of snooker as we recognize it today was developed. The firm expanded its range over time, with items such as dual-purpose snooker/dining tables, cues, billiard tables and American pool tables all receiving the Riley treatment of top-quality raw materials and first-class craftsmanship.
Many people think of snooker table manufacturing as being a relatively low-tech industry, but that’s to underestimate the role that cutting-edge technology plays in crafting the most crucial components of every table. For example, the slate that ensures that the playing surface is perfectly flat – a vital consideration in this game – is now laser-cut, delivering accuracy to within the millimetre. Such attention to detail counts at all levels of the game, but becomes even more important when world-class matches are being played. Maybe this is why the Riley Aristocrat Champion table was used at all Snooker World Championships from 1992 to 2004.