'Bowls has kept me going' - Rhyl Bowling Club appeals for members amid fall in numbers

Rhyl Bowling Club has seen the number of members more than halve since lockdown last year as restrictions halted sessions and some members remain concerned over the safety of public spaces.

“It is very concerning as our generation has never lived through a period like this,” said Barbara Smith, club secretary.

“The pandemic has caused a lot of problems as we used to have four teams but now there is only one, and we have gone from 150 members to 50 or 60. Some of our members don’t want to play again until the pandemic is over, and we don’t know when that will change.

“We are one of the oldest clubs in the area but we need new members to keep on going. We’re not the only ones as some haven’t even opened yet.”

A plaque outside the Rhyl Bowling Club clubhouse dated to 1905.

It is a sign of further difficulty for lawn bowling clubs across Wales, which have struggled to attract new, younger members for some years without youth leagues.

Rhyl Bowling Club was established in 1902 and a brass nameplate dated to 1905 remains at the clubhouse entrance. It has played a key role in the town over the last century as a place for members to maintain a social life, including during the Second World War when soldiers and women were allowed to join at half price.

There is greater concern than ever over the club’s future after the last year, not helped by its quiet and peaceful location, tucked away on Seaview Road in the corner of a residential area near the H bridge.

The lawn of Rhyl Bowling Club, situated on Seaview Road.

“People often don’t realise we are here as we are in a secluded area,” said club chair Ann Williams, who has been a member for seven years. “The whole season had gone last year and we’re trying our best to get back to normal.”

Lawn bowling clubs across the area provide vital support to members, who are often aged 60 or over. The sport had its heyday in the 70s and 80s, when some of Rhyl Bowling Club’s longest-serving members joined, however the average age of players is rising across Wales as there is difficulty attracting younger people.

The club has returned to competitive games against clubs with four matches and holds round robin for all members and prospective members at 2pm every Thursday.

Rhyl Bowling Club has had a life-changing impact on many of its members, some of whom have been going for more than three decades.

Bowls-themed clocks mark the opening of the club's new pavilion in 1996.

Flo Brett, aged 91, who played for the club for 30 years and now attends to keep in touch with friends, said: “I used to come from work and I was taught how to bowl. We played in the thunder and the rain, and we even used to play in the dark.”

Phil, 74, who became a member in 1992 after serving as a police officer for 11 years, said: “This is the best club I have ever been a part of. There is a great mixture of people and everyone is friendly.”

Mary Hancock, 83, who joined with her mum Nan and has been a member for more than 40 years, said: “I lost my husband 20 years ago and bowling has kept me going.

“It is about friendship and meeting people from clubs all over. Bowls is a friendly game.”

To find out more call Mrs Smith on 07745901287.