At the Games Room Company we have long been fans of Shuffleboard and are proud to be building them for Britain. We are thrilled to be sharing our knowledge and enthusiasm for this unique game with a whole new audience. Waldersmith Shuffleboards truly offer the finest standards of design and craftsmanship, all drawn from a heritage dating back over 500 years. Shuffleboard is at last truly coming home!

Branded ‘Waldersmith’ after the company founder’s name, these striking tables are assembled in his Weybridge workshop which previously served as a propeller factory for WWII bombers. Given the Games Room Company’s long association with the US and British forces and the proud history of our current premises, it should come as no surprise to learn that our tables are named after some of the most illustrious British aircraft from the period.

This stunning metal framed Shuffleboard is custom built to order in a range of sizes starting at 9 ft., rising to a truly impressive 22 ft.  Unlike the more traditional styling usually associated with Shuffleboards this model has a sleek, modern feel, with a sub frame constructed from welded steel box sections. This handmade frame can be finished in any colour and finishes range from matt through to satin or gloss.

All our shuffleboards are produced to American Tournament standards by our master craftsmen using the highest quality materials. The solid ash playfields are coated in a highly durable crystal clear polymer, which ensures the smooth running of the pucks. The overall impression is one of strength and simplicity, and as a result it has won plaudits from those who prefer a more minimalist approach to modern decor, like the Shoreditch architectural practise who recently ordered not just a 14 ft. Lancaster shuffleboard from us but also a matching reception desk version to sit alongside it. 

Every Waldersmith shuffleboard comes with adjustable feet to facilitate the balancing of the frame whilst  climactic adjustors on the underside allow fine tuning of the camber on the playfield itself, thereby ensuring that your pucks will always run true.

Like all our Shuffleboards, the Lancaster can be specified with removable tops which can serve as a table or workstation when not in use.  Shuffleboards do take up a lot of space, especially in a domestic setting, but adding tops introduces a measure of practicality by ensuring that the space can be utilised in other ways at different times.

Further custom options include personalised playfield graphics, LED underlighting and mains/USB charging points. Our Shuffleboards come with abacus style frame-mounted scorers but an electronic scorer is also available.

The action takes place on a maple wood top which runs almost the length of the table, with a run-off area of a few inches at either end. It’s surface has a hard wearing high gloss finish and is then sprinkled with tiny silicone balls that resemble grains of sand. The steel pucks, which are typically about 2.5 “ across, glide across this surface with such little resistance that first time players are invariably caught unawares, sending the puck skimming right off the end of the playfield at speed. High scores are achieved by getting your pucks into the zones nearest the end of the board, and the game can be played individually or in teams.

Dating from the taverns of 15th Century England, when it was known as ’Shove-Groat’ and played using a large silver coin, Shuffleboard was quickly adopted by the aristocracy and became such a  popular parlour game amongst the noblemen of the home counties that Henry VIII was forced to impose a ban, claiming that it was too much of a distraction from archery and sword-fighting practise!

Distraction or not, its huge appeal ensured that the game quickly migrated throughout the English speaking world, eventually arriving on the East Coast of America with the first settlers in the 1600’s. From there it spread rapidly throughout the bars and larger country houses of mainland USA, shedding its aristocratic associations along the way and ultimately finding favour with the legendary movie stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

With Shuffleboard leagues springing up all over the States it became one of the most popular activities in the country, aided in no small part by the technological advances which allowed the pucks to glide smoothly and almost frictionless on a bed of tiny silicone pellets. Meanwhile, perhaps restricted by relatively small living spaces when compared to those of their American cousins, the English all but forgot the game they invented. That’s all changing now however, as Shuffleboard is coming home!

These days the game is still very much a distraction, but in the 21st century instead of diverting citizens from their archery practise it provides an exciting alternative to the omnipresent lure of screens and social media. Physical games requiring skill and judgement are currently enjoying a massive resurgence up and down the country and Shuffleboard is playing a major part in this trend.  Crowds are once again gathering in the London’s bars and pubs to rediscover the thrills of this ancient but highly social game, and we're pleased to report that Waldersmith’s hand built shuffleboard tables are now in demand all over town.

 

The Games Room Company also sells a broad range of shuffleboard accessories and if you need any help we’d be pleased to advise.