Fears for bowls club due to run down facilities

6 hours ago

Club members fear more members will leave if improvements are not made to the facilities

BBC Image shows the ditches along the greens. The image shows the green felt along the wall has come away, revealing the stone wall behind. Part of the wall has fallen away. Behind is layers of dirt. In the right of the image, you can see the greens which is patchy green and brown. In the background, you can see the edge of the green. — Club members fear more members will leave if improvements are not made to the facilities

Members of a Southampton bowls club fear it may close after almost 90 years due to dilapidated facilities.

Sport Centre Bowling Club has been based at Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre in Bassett since 1938.

Users have said the greens and clubhouse facilities, including the changing rooms, need investment, and fear more members may leave without improvement.

The Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre is undergoing a £36m regeneration project, but the club is not included in those developments.

The club said Southampton City Council's leisure operator BH Live had told it that one bowling green would close next year.

However, members say the second green could become unplayable without investment.

The green closure news came after membership levels dropped in recent years, and the club said more members would leave if improvements were not made.

The bowlers say the greens are uneven, along with the ditches and women's changing rooms which are unusable.

Image shows the two greens. In the forefront is one green which is patchy green and brown. In the background, is the second green. Separating the two greens is a walkway which is brown and has two brown benches on it. There is a brown fence surrounding the two greens. Behind those fences, are a number of trees and white houses. The sky is cloudy with blue peaking through. — The bowlers say the greens are uneven, along with the ditches and women's changing rooms which are unusable.

Former Saints manager, Dave Merrington joined the club three years ago and said: "The bowling community itself, they're a lovely family. You get together, you spend time together. And I'm just sad that we may lose this facility.

"I lost my wife three years ago and it's been a real blessing just to get out and play bowls with the bowling community."

He said he did not understand why the bowls club had not been included in the regeneration work.

"The dressing rooms ourselves, we've painted, redecorated. We've done all that ourself. The ladies side still needs doing," he said.

"The greens themselves have not been the best this year, and round the areas of the greens they're quite dilapidated.

"And if you don't maintain anything and it falls into disarray, in the long term it's going to cost you more money."

Dave Merrington would like to see an all-weather bowls facility included in the development

Image shows Dave Merrington, a member of the club. He is looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a white shirt and brown jacket. Behind him, is a white clubhouse where the changing rooms are. In the bottom left, you can see the greens. — Dave Merrington would like to see an all-weather bowls facility included in the development

Merrington said an all-weather facility was something members would like to see included in the development.

"If you'd have put an all-weather facility further down for all year round to attract youngsters as well and play all year round, surely that's got to be more cost-effective and benefit to the community," he added.

The wider development includes new artificial grass football pitches, athletics, and tennis facilities and improvements to the alpine snow sports centre.

The club has won top competitions and has an England Under-25 player as a member.

Members fear the remaining green may become unplayable and lead to more bowlers leaving the club

Image shows the clubhouse. It is white on the outside. There are multiple cracks in the paintwork. It is two levels, and has a number of windows along it. In the bottom left, there are six bowlers stood — Members fear the remaining green may become unplayable and lead to more bowlers leaving the club

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, cabinet member for leisure at Southampton City Council, said: "The council is committed to supporting and improving sporting facilities at the Outdoor Sports Centre.

"Together with current and previous operators, we have provided significant support to the bowls club over several years as the club runs at a significant deficit.

"Following discussions with the club, it was agreed to reduce the number of greens from two to one, reflecting changes in membership.

"This forms part of the council's wider work to ensure its leisure facilities remain sustainable across the city."