Introduction
It always gives me great pleasure to write about many of the snooker greats who have been sadly forgotten by many in the sands of snooker time. One such key person is John Singh, the father of Alisha, who many who you have seen in recent years as a brilliant presenter on the BBC and Eurosport at multiple snooker tournaments. So I thought it was about time that John who is one of my followers on social media gets the Green Baize treatment, showcasing his sterling contribution to snooker. His nephew David Singh, dubbed ‘Cyclone Singh’ who gained his love for snooker from his father and uncle as a nine-year-old boy, was a very nifty player. fast and a demon at trick shots, being able to, amongst his trickshot armoury, strike a ten-pence piece down the rail and pot the black in the corner pocket and pot the black, again in the corner pocket, when it was perched on a piece of chalk in someone’s mouth laying flat across the table. Feats that were showcased in an interview with Paula Ahluwalia with him on the BBC Asian Magazine programme in April 1983.
His uncle and manager, John Singh owned the Masters Snooker Club in Nottingham, a club where the feature was filmed. His nephew by then was already beating many professionals, beating one resident professional 5-1 in Norwich, a player who got plenty of publicity through the local newspaper, the Nottingham Evening Post. The club got its name from his father’s nickname ‘The Master’. A name was given to him when he was in his native home of Kashmir and helped his countrymen with translation, letter writing and other assistance. A paternal inspiration who came to England and would go on to run a successful Texaco garage business on Castle Boulevard in Nottingham. A business that his sons Tony and John took over when he died.
The Nottingham Ace
David was a promising amateur who fulfilled his dream of turning professional in 1991, spending six seasons on the main tour. His best prize was £1,000 at the 1991 World Masters. John would go on to run a string of businesses in the 1980s, most notably the Masters Snooker Club in Nottingham and Early Doors Diner. A number of professionals would flock to his club including Alex Higgins, a family friend who held Alisha as a baby and Steve Davis. A snooker club that prided itself on being the first upmarket snooker and leisure club that attracted prestigious members and snooker players.
John had many strings to his business bow, organising the ‘Miss Early Doors’ beauty competition. A fashion event with weekly heats and a grand final hosted at his venues. In the 1990s, his company Worldwide Snooker Promotions sponsored Miss UK and John worked closely with Eric Morely in 1994 on Miss World. Singh also created a ‘Snooker with Beauty’ calendar featuring players such as Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jason Ferguson.
John would go on to realise his future was in the beauty pageant market. He became the CEO owner of Miss Great Britain. He witnessed the crowning of the first black Miss Great Britain when the singer Anita St Rose won the competition in 1996. The Telford beauty with Trinidadian heritage was a nightclub dancer. Now a former snooker promoter, John can be very proud of his efforts, running an iconic snooker club and the founder of Miss Tourism and Miss Tourism World in 1991. Check out his social media on Instagram as tourismjohnsingh