Keswick Bowls Club 2007...125 years on..

Cumberland News
Flooded Carlisle bowling club closes after 112 years
By Amanda Little

ONE of Carlisle’s oldest bowling clubs is set to shut after 112 years, blaming the devastation caused by the floods for its heartbreaking decision.

Washed out: Edenside Bowling Club, in Carlisle under water after the 2005 floods Members of Edenside Bowling Club in Stanwix voted at an extraordinary general meeting on Friday to wind up the club which has twice been wrecked by flooding in the last five years. Feelings are running high over the decision which was passed by the narrowest of margins, 31-29, as the club has been going for 112 years, and some members have told the News & Star that the towel has been thrown in too readily. The decision was prompted by concerns that the club may not be able to get insurance if it floods again and also because membership has fallen to just 70 players – 100 less than 20 years ago when it boasted the highest number of members in Cumbria. The club suffered £50,000 of damage to the green and pavilion during the 2005 floods and was also engulfed by floods in November last year when the River Eden again burst its banks.
Treasurer Michael Watson said: “The decision is a big disappointment to everyone. “Even those who voted for the club to be wound up are still very sorry that is has come to this. It wasn’t an easy issue. “It was done with a lot of regret but a lot of people felt it was realistic not to go on. “I’ve been a member for 45 years and I’m not the longest-serving. We would have all liked to have gone on but I can understand both points of view.”

Mr. Watson said fears that Edenside, which leases its premises from neighbouring Carlisle Cricket club, would not be able to get insurance cover for future flood damage meant the writing was on the wall. He said: “We have insurance cover for the latest incident but when the insurance comes up for renewal at the end of this year we are inclined to believe we wouldn’t get insurance for flooding. “We can’t see them wanting to give us flooding cover and, if the excess is now £5,000, it will run into many more thousands next time. “If we carry on and there is further flooding we would have to repair the building to a certain standard under the terms of the lease. The majority of members don’t feel we would have enough funds to do it because we wouldn’t have insurance. “If it wasn’t for the floods it wouldn’t have come to this, but allied to the insurance problem is the falling membership and the difficulty in getting people to maintain the greens.”
 

FITZ PARK BOWLING CLUB

Unfortunately, the bowls clubhouse was one of many properties in Keswick flooded during November. At first it was thought that the club had escaped without too much damage, but, it has recently been discovered that this is not the case. Over the past week workmen of the firm appointed by the insurers commenced removing damaged wall-panels, tiling, etc., prior to them carrying out a thorough cleaning of the affected parts of the property and it was then that the full and awful extent of the damage became apparent. Much of the structural timber of the building has been badly damaged. At the time of writing the future of the clubhouse is unclear and will not be known until a detailed assessment has been carried out by builders and a report considered by the owners and insurers; however, even if the clubhouse is to be repaired it seems there is every possibility that it will not be available for use by the beginning of the forthcoming outdoor season in April.

A number of members have worked hard at clearing out the contents of the clubhouse and putting them into safe storage elsewhere, but, some bowls, bowls bags, shoes and items of clothing remain in the clubhouse and should be collected by the owners concerned as soon as possible.

As if the club didn't have enough problems at the moment the clubhouse has been vandalised on several occasions during the past week or so resulting in smashed windows, broken rainwater pipes and minor damage to the green. The vandalism has been reported to the Police and it is hoped that increased surveillance by them will be carried out and that this will have a beneficial effect. It is obvious that the area near to the clubhouse has been used for late night drinking sessions and it is suspected that the persons involved in these activities are responsible for the vandalism.

 Vic Emmerson. President