THE future of Skegness as the venue for the English Bowling Federation national finals was thrown into some doubt when East Lindsey District Council announced they would no longer maintain the three greens after the end of August.
However, following a ‘Save Our Bowling Greens’ meeting at the Suncastle attended by around 150 people, including local hoteliers and businesses, a new fully constituted association has emerged called the North Parade Bowling Greens Association whose plan is to take over the running of the complex.
An experienced greenkeeper is currently working on the greens in preparation for the national finals which start on August 17th and there is already an assurance that the finals will definitely go ahead there next year following a financial guarantee from East Lindsey District Council.
There are also plans to improve the facilities and security, but the immediate priority is to improve the playing surfaces.
The statement from East Lindsey District Council reads: ‘We have for many years supported and financed the bowling greens at Skegness, the only bowling venue in the district to have received this level of support, however the council feels the best way forward is for these types of facilities to be managed and run by people using the facilities.
‘ They clearly know what is best for this type of facility to thrive and develop and to this end for several years we have been trying to find a long-term solution which would see a local group, business or bowling association, take over the ownership and running of the greens and infrastructure.
‘There now seems to be a local organisation emerging which could take on this role and the council would like to work with this organisation to secure the future of this area in providing a bowling facility.
‘The council, working with this group, would like to invest in the infrastructure with the possibility of a yearly grant, reducing over time until the group has a firm management and fiscal structure. We hope that this can be achieved within the next 12 months.’
So the 70th staging of the championships at Skegness will be going ahead next year, but the long-term future will depend on funding – they believe £30,000 would be needed per year to maintain the greens and to fund other projects.
The EBF have given the new organisation their commitment to continue staging the finals at Skegness providing the greens are improved to a championship standard.
With regard to security, it is hoped in the near future to put a steel hooped fence attached to the concrete around each green, although that would need permission from English Heritage, who are the guardians of the site.
