SNOOKER is on the table in Dunfermline to give youngsters a safe space off the streets.

The owners of The Ball Room Sports Bar & Pool Hall are looking to offer teenagers free snooker on a Thursday night –for three hours – to combat reports of a rise in antisocial behaviour in the town.

Jenny Perella, of the family-run Gioca Leisure Ltd – which runs the venue and the indoor soft play centre Play Planet above – believes the initiative could have a positive impact on local young people.

She told the Press: “We as a business have decided to help take a stance against the rise in anti-social behaviour in Dunfermline.

“We feel it is our duty as a business to do our bit and give back to the community.

“The Ball Room understands that snooker may not be as popular a sport as it once was but we would like to offer a platform and safe sanctuary for the youth of Dunfermline to come in and learn to play the sport free of charge.

“We would like to offer this on Thursday nights between the hours of 4pm and 7pm for the ages of 13 to 17.

“We feel this would take kids off the street and give them something constructive to do with their time all while keeping them out of trouble. The youth of our town is the future of our town”.

Although no specific cases of anti-social behaviour had been suggested, Jenny had heard from a number of people that incidents had increased during the coronavirus pandemic and in the school holidays.

With high schools now back, she hopes that the 4-7pm window will see youngsters come through the doors at the Queen Anne Street venue after school on a Thursday and enjoy three hours of snooker on the house.

“As a family business, it has been instilled into us all how important it is to get the kids in as they are the future of the area and the community – that’s our ethos,” she said.

“We want to help and do anything we can to help make the lives of children and teenagers better.

“The Ball Room is a safe environment for them; they can play snooker, have some food, meet friends and enjoy themselves and be sociable rather than being outside on the street or by themselves at home on their Xbox or computer.

“I have been here at the Ball Room in Dunfermline for nearly four years now and it’s a great culture here.

“It’s a busy and loyal place with a lot of the same people coming back and enjoying themselves.

“We’re really happy to see people back in now that restrictions have eased further. We had been able to re-open last year but we couldn’t have music and there were still many things we could not do before having to shut again. But now, we’re finally back to normal and happy to welcome customers again.”

The initiative will run every Thursday (4-7pm) for anyone aged 13-17.