Winning end for new bowls club
MORE than £200,000 of taxpayers' cash is to be spent replacing a town's bowling green.
Biddulph has been without a green for bowlers since the demolition of the town's Labour club to make way for the new Sainsbury's supermarket in 2010.
-
SITE: St Lawrence Recreation Ground off Congleton Road.
Bowlers have since campaigned for a replacement facility somewhere in the town.
Now Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is to spend £130,000 on the new artificial green and £80,000 on a clubhouse, including a changing room, toilets and a kitchen.
Dyson DC50i - Bagless upright vacuum cleaner - BALL Technology -...
View detailsThisi is Dyson's smallest upright vacuum cleaner with the performance of a full size upright machine. The DC50i has Dyson's most advanced cleaner head technology and 2 Tier RadialTM cyclones.
Terms: LIMITED STOCK OFFER. FREE delivery to most UK postcodes - Next working day dispatch.
Contact: 01664 491439
Valid until: Monday, May 27 2013
The new Biddulph Bowling and Recreation Club will be built on overgrown tennis courts off Congleton Road.
Stoke-on-Trent District League president Graham Swift, aged 74, of Brown Lees, who has campaigned for the replacement green, said: "It has been a long time since we lost our bowling green and we had to find new clubs which would accept us.
"I am highly delighted that the funding application has been accepted.
"It will be one big family in a fantastic venue that should put Biddulph on the map.
"We are looking forward to inviting people to join, but fees still have to be decided."
Bowlers in Biddulph have had to travel to clubs in Congleton, Knypersley and further afield to play the sport since the demolition of the Labour club.
Alsager Institute Bowling Club secretary Roy Cowden said: "While bowling is a minority sport compared to football and cricket, in this area it has strong roots and is enjoyed by many of all ages.
"Bowls played in league matches is a competitive game within all the local leagues."
The bowling green plan forms part of the overall Biddulph Sports Village Project which is also improving sports facilities elsewhere in the town at Halls Road and at Mill Hayes.
Council executive director Andrew Stokes said: "The site at St Lawrence Recreation Ground has been found to be a potentially suitable location for a new bowling green.
"This green is required to accommodate the bowlers who have had to leave the town to bowl since the loss of the green at the Labour club when the new Sainsbury's development took place.
"A group of local bowlers have constituted themselves into a club and the council is working with them on a development plan to ensure maximum potential usage of the proposed new facility."
4 Comments
by Rockystoke
Friday, February 08 2013, 9:29AM
“Well Grahame and your colleagues, it's great to a bowling facility being created instead of being dug up when pubs and clubs fail. Also great to see graham and mr Roy Cowden are still active on the bowls scene, from a retired bowler.”
by Biddleman
Wednesday, January 23 2013, 12:32PM
“Wow, 200k+ when there is one less than a mile away at the VIcs.”
by Notanumber
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 1:06PM
“Provided that the facility is used daily then, when compared to the vast amount of local football fields which are used for probably two 90 minutes periods over a weekend, then I'd say it is well worth it. Pity it comes at the wrong time during a meltdown of the economy though.”
by MightyMacc
Tuesday, January 22 2013, 10:56AM
“Wonder how long it will be before the council can't afford to maintain this (due to more cuts!!) and it ends up in a delapidated state like the tennis court next to it!! - disgusting!!”