Shilbottle bowls club becomes leak club

Aug 29 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

BRITAIN’S summer of rain has wrecked a Northumberland bowls league – at an indoor venue. The leaky roof at Shilbottle’s village club has meant the local players are now in the same boat as Wimbledon and cricket matches in putting up the ‘rain stopped play’ signs.

Now after being repeatedly soaked this summer, the 30 regular members are stepping up the drive for more money to help build a new hall.

In recent years, vandalism and wear and tear have taken their toll on the building on Grange Road, built by miners in 1950, causing holes and cracks to appear in its roof.

When there is rain or snow, water leaks in to the building, giving bowlers a real problem. The club claims to be the only one in the North Northumberland Bowls League for which rain can stop play.

Earlier this year, a night time open competition had to be cancelled three weeks in advance as the bowlers could not take the risk of people travelling from far and wide for an event which could be rained off at the last minute.

The club has three carpets for matches which sometimes involve 70 players, but struggles to fit them all under secure roof.

One is regularly soaked and bowlers often have to rearrange hall furniture to maximise the playing area that is not at risk of a downpour.

Players are frequently surrounded by pots to catch water and the ceiling can sometimes be seen to sag under the weight of gathering water.

Secretary Eric Thompson, 79, of The Crescent, has been a member of the club for 25 years. He said: “We are hoping to carry on this season, despite the leaky roof. We might be able to get the league fixtures done. We just can not trust the weather.”

The hall also has holey walls for which draft excluders have been created.

Moves to replace the building, which would allow the bowlers to use three carpets without fear of getting soaked, have been led by its committee in recent years.

Earlier this year the Big Lottery Fund provided £414,000 towards the cost of a new hall, taking total funds to almost £600,000.

A further £200,000 is in the pipeline, but more is needed.

Derek Shaw, of Grange Road, has been a member of the bowls club for four years along with his wife.

He said: “It will be quite a relief to them to have a new building up. It has got worse this past year.”

A fun day is being held in the hall this Sunday from 1pm-4pm to raise funds. Entry is free.

The days of activities will include a barbecue, five-a-side football, ferret racing, tug of war, a village trail, face painting, an obstacle course, cake stall and children’s play. Refreshments will be served at noon.