ABOUT US
The Hockey Centre prides it’s self as one of, if not the oldest, specialist Hockey Equipment Shops in the UK. Based in Woking, Surrey, the heartland of hockey, it provides a professional and personal service to it’s customers both instore and online.
Our staff include a number of dedicated hockey players with a level of expertise who can offer advice which is second to none.
WHY SHOP AT THE HOCKEY CENTRE?
Our dedicated hockey staff are here to serve and make sure that each customer is catered for. We have competitive prices on our wide range of Brands and products. We also have a thriving clothing business for all sports and you will find details of our excellent Club Orders service on this web site. We are authorised stockists of some of the biggest brands in Hockey from all over the world.
HISTORY OF THE HOCKEY CENTRE
The Company began it’s life as an amalgamation of Hurst Hockey and Bablock Sports Ltd. in 1989.
1970’s
John and Philippa Hurst started Hurst Hockey in the mid 1970’s in order to help finance John’s International playing commitments. (He was an International goalkeeper playing for England and Great Britain from 1977 to 1988).
Bablock Sports had been a successful importer of Hockey and other Sporting Goods since the early 1970’s. At that time it was based in Twickenham and dealt exclusively with goods from Beatall Sports in India, including the Vampire range of Hockey Sticks. In the mid 1980’s, following a change of ownership, Bablocks moved to Woking and, just prior to the amalgamation with Hurst Hockey, was a successful Hockey Mail Order Company under the stewardship of hockey enthusiast, Murray Gilson.
1980’s
By the late 1980’s both Hurst Hockey and Bablock Sports were growing in the emerging Hockey Retail Market and joined together to maximise their exposure.
1990’s
The “new” Business operated from the premises in Maybury Road, Woking and from the shop at St. Albans. At the forefront of Hockey Retailing in the 1990’s, the Company was one of the first in Hockey to have a web site and has always prided itself on it's expertise in hockey with many of the staff being dedicated hockey players and enthusiasts including a number of past and current International players.
2003
In 2003 another merger saw Ceelect Sports, based in London, come into The Hockey Centre fold.
The Company, now known as “The Hockey Centre, Ceelect Sports” operated from three shops – 151 Maybury Road, Woking; 149 Lavender Hill, London and 200 Beech Road St. Albans.
2016
In 2016 John and Philippa Hurst retired from the business and at the same time the company closed it's shops in London and St Albans.
Bablock Sports Ltd trading as The Hockey Centre. Registered in the UK 01226218.