Paul Rinaldi admits he was at rock bottom in January.
After losing £50,000 and unable to work at the snooker halls that are in his blood.
Then, as if things couldn't get much worse, coronavirus struck.
"It got so bad that I just wanted to wrap it all in," admits Burnley-born Paul.
He left there over a decade ago to open the Whitley Bay Snooker Hall.
He closed the hall last December, due to expanding on a much bigger site in North Shields - or so he hoped.
He said a business deal resulted in him losing a fortune, while building delays - followed by the virus - meant the new hall couldn't reopen.
"At one point I was going to go back to Lancashire as I'd had enough of being here," he admits.
"I just felt that I was going to have to start again from scratch."
But there was no need, thanks to the kindness of strangers.
Both Anthony Gibson, from Sigma Electricals and Neil Watson, from Watson Timber, stepped in and "saved the day", completing the rest of the work on the Queen Alexander Road venue in order to get it ready for after lockdown.
"They were absolutely smashing, and did the work on the proviso that we could pay what we could," said a grateful Paul.
"They really came to our rescue. They are fantastic, fantastic people."
And now, after the North East Snooker Centre finally opened its doors, business is booming with around 300 people walking through the doors during the first weekend alone.
It has state-of-the-art tables and dart boards and beer on tap.
And it is also yet another shining example of North East firms opening during the pandemic - and thriving.
Among them, Jesmond restaurant Fable which has seen customers drive 20 miles just to collect.
And Tynemouth's Jackie Dunn sold posh cheeseboards during lockdown - making £10k in a month.
But for Paul, who has invested around £300k into the new venture, he's just pleased he can finally welcome the public back - and earn again.
"It has been a horrendous time, but we have got through it," he said.
"For the past six months we have been unemployed, with no business to open so our backs have been against the wall.
"The Government wouldn't furlough us and we didn't qualify for any grant, so we have not had anything.
"But the customers love it and that feels fantastic. Since we opened last Friday, it has just been non-stop.
"We loved the last venue but it just wasn't big enough and we didn't have enough tables, so we felt boxed in.
"But this is great."
There are big things ahead too. In September, it will officially open - with a visit from former world champion Denis Taylor.
But for now the venue - open seven days a week - is at last open for the public and professionals alike to enjoy.
One of the first to take a break was local hero Gary Wilson.
The Wallsend snooker ace made it to the world semi-finals and was "thrilled" to see it open.
"The whole of Whitley Bay Snooker Club has always been incredibly supportive of me and the new North East Snooker Centre offers a great opportunity to open up snooker to a whole new audience on the North Tyneside coast.”
And for Paul, it acts as a reminder that sometimes you just have to "have faith" that even in the darkest hour, there is light ahead.
And he adds: "You just have to keep going forward".
