Bristol bowls club facing homelessness after almost a century

A long-running bowls club could soon roll its last ball at its current ground after a row broke out with the site’s management. Ardagh Bowling and Sports Club has played bowls at the Ardagh on Horfield Common for nearly 100 years and hopes to play there for many years to come.

However it has been unable to agree terms on a leasing proposal from the charity managing the site, Ardagh Community Trust (ACT), describing the sum as “excessive”. ACT wanted to charge the club for the sole use of the green for competitive lawn bowling during the upcoming 2024 season.

ACT state Ardagh Bowling and Sports Club declined the offer, yet a club spokesman claim they have “not declined the offer of sole use and wish to negotiate”. Ardagh Bowling and Sports Club further alleged ACT are “not fulfilling their charity status in their actions” and the charity is not renegotiating their offer.

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The club, which is due to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, shared in a statement: “We would like to advise the community of Horfield and beyond that as a result of an unsigned communication from the Ardagh Community Trust, the site leaseholders, the bowling green will no longer be available to the club for competitive bowling. We as a club have been given ‘non-negotiable’ option to use the bowling green for competitive bowling in 2024.

“The terms, conditions and specifically costs, are in the charity’s words ‘significant and carry a degree of uncertainty’. The costs demanded are excessive and have been positioned significantly higher than the bowling club can afford.

“We feel that ACT are not fulfilling their charity status in their demands, and have not shown any reasonable endeavour to reach an agreement. The Ardagh Bowls Club is due to celebrate its centenary in 2026 and has, since 1926, fully facilitated and provided a club for the community to enjoy.

“We would like to continue competitive and social bowling at the Ardagh but need the local community’s support to enable us to do this. We would like to emphasise the social, health and wellbeing attributes that our bowling club can provide for everyone.

“The bowling club still wish to work constructively with ACT and promote access to bowls for all. We really hope that the Ardagh Community Trust which values our community will reconsider.”

Ardagh Bowling and Sports Club have played bowls at the Ardagh on Horfield Common for several generations

The ACT took over management the Ardagh site to “ensure its survival and ongoing availability to our local community” and to ensure it remained open for community use. They also highlight that due to lack of investment by Bristol City Council, which decided it would no longer subsidise the cost of leisure activities in parks in 2010, the ground needs refurbishment.

In an updated statement, the ACT shared they were “extremely disappointed and concerned at misleading statements made on social media by members of the bowling club”. A spokesman explained they are unable to subsidise bowls club and its charges for the use of the green in 2024 are based on recovering actual costs only.

The statement reads: “Following publication of a range of claims on social media in January 2024, in addition to the principles set out above, Ardagh Community Trust is able to confirm the specific costs that the bowling club will need to pay if they want to play competitive bowling on the green at the Ardagh for the 2024 lawn bowling season (April – October).

“The offer made to the bowling club was for hire of the green at £10ph. For a standard game where two bowlers are playing it will cost £5ph each which is the same cost as other greens in Bristol and nationwide. For pairs, triples and fours games it will be considerably cheaper than comparators in Bristol and nationally.

“For the green to be able to be used for competitive bowls, the ditches surrounding the green need to be repaired at a cost of £5940. This quote was provided by an independent external contractor following completion of a full site structural survey in Autumn 2023.

“There is no need for these repairs unless the green is being used for competitive sport. Social bowling will continue at the Ardagh in 2024 and can continue without this work being completed.

Ardagh Bowling and Sports Club are due to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2026

“The additional cost to the bowling club is a maintenance contract, supplied by an external contractor at £12,500 per annum – this is exactly the same cost and supplier that the club have used to date. ACT understands that this is a difficult amount for the bowling club to raise since Bristol City Council withdrew the subsidy as part of its sports review, however, as a charity it cannot subsidise a private sports club.”