THE Broomwade Bowls Club is disbanding after 60 years due to an change in rental fees at Magnolia Park, where they lease the green.

However, the owner of Magnolia Park, John Walters of Walters Leisure, has launched a passionate defence.

He says the proposed price increase is a direct result of falling membership at the club and that he has actually been subsidising them for years.

The sticking point for Broomwade members is a change from £50 per year per member to a proposed introduction of a flat annual fee for the club of £5,000.

Bowls club chairman Chris Schwier says that with VAT this would inflate members’ fees from £100 to near £150 per season.

However, Walters says the £50 per member was introduced when the bowls club had 100 members and he has had to inject more and more of his own money into the club as membership has fallen.

He said: “This is down to their declining numbers, not because I’ve increased the price.

“Walters Leisure pays the bowling club’s sewerage removal, their electricity, their water bill, insurance for all their equipment...it costs £190 a month in utilities for the bowling club.

“Fifty pound was a fair charge when they had 100 members a few years ago. The £5,000 that is being asked now is the pot that will pay for all those things I’ve mentioned.”

The club had 68 members last year, many of whom had been bowling at Magnolia Park for more than 30 years and are now in their 80s. But at their AGM last week they voted 39-12 in favour of closing the club, with three more proxy votes to close.

Schwier said: “The reason we’re closing down is because the fees are going up. It’s a big increase. Nobody wants to leave, it’s a beautiful place to bowl and it’s a very disappointing end.”

Club secretary Ann Roberts added: “A lot of our members are now looking to go to other clubs, but some of them are in their 80s and they’re at an age where it will be difficult to start again.”

“Everything they’ve wanted, I’ve given them. The premises are open free of charge for the whole of that club to raise funds to subsidise their incomes.

“I work with the bowls club in every way. I’m not aloof. I’m here for them seven days a week.

“I’m not in it for profit. I’ve spent probably £250,000 of my own money in the last few years to encourage people to the area.

“There are probably not many people in this town who have supported sport [here] as much as I have in the last 40 years and I’m really proud of it.”

Walters also offered to put his case forward to members of the Bowls Club and an ombudsman, saying he wouldn’t charge the club a penny if that is what the ombudsman decided was fair.