Future still hanging in the balance for 200-year-old Kings Head Bowling Club

The future of a historic bowling club is still hanging in the balance.

Kings Head Bowling Club, which is attached to The Kings Head pub in Queen's Street, Ulverston, may soon cease to exist after talks to convert the bowling green into a "more accessible" space.

The bowling club has been in operation for 200 years and is particularly popular for the town's older generation, with more than 600 individual games played on the green last season.

However, the club's 10-year lease with Marston's, which owns the pub and bowling green, is coming to an end - and there are concerns that it may not be renewed.

This prompted chairman Bill Kitson and greenkeeper secretary Bob Smith to enlist the help of the MP and other community leaders to preserve the club's long-standing green.

Mr Kitson said: "We have had letters of support sent to Marston's Brewery, owners of the Green, and from our local MP Simon Fell who both are keen for this game to continue at the Kings Head. Both have said how important to keep the over 40s active and involved in sport to keep people out of the NHS, especially these days.

"The appeal also is strong on behalf of the nation's mental health, just to save something of our history that won't be changed by this pandemic. The Kings Head Bowling green did, after all, survive the Battle of Waterloo 1815, two world wars and the Spanish flu."

In November, Marston's revealed they were reviewing the space outside the Kings Head to be more accessible to the community.

However, a spokeswoman has now announced that no definitive plans have been put in place at this stage.

She said: "Due to the current circumstances surrounding Covid-19, no definitive plans have been put in place."

Mr Kitson added: "If our lease isn't renewed, this will finish us off.

"We're not just a club, we are a team of human beings and great friends - it's great exercise and socialising for us all.

"This is our heritage which we all need to help preserve in the local community for the future."

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