Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 18^th August 1986, by Bob Shaw

Come forward plea to bowlers - Future of new centre in doubt

The future - of the planned six-rink indoor bowling centre for the Rushden area is in doubt unless bowlers who showed an interest now come forward and pledge to join.

A member of the Rushden Town Bowling Club's Indoor steering committee, Ken Shadbolt said after a public meeting in Higham Ferrers that it was "stand up and be counted time."

He said over 120 bowlers turned up at the public meeting and a number of pledges of cash were forthcoming.

There were no dissenting voices at the plans and they had pledges to cover £12,000 of the £35,000 needed to be raised initially.

The total estimated cost of the indoor centre would be £300,000 and the rest of the cash would come in form of bank, brewery and sports council grants and loans.

He said that they now had 150 bowlers who had pledged to join and needed a minimum of 300 to enable the scheme to go ahead.

The bowling club's own members came under fire from Mr. Shadbolt. "Our own club members are sitting on the fence at the moment. The committee is looking to the future of the club in giving them something worth having.''

"Many bowlers seem to be waiting until we have built it before they pledge," 'he added. "If we do not move now we will not be able to afford it in a few years time.''

The club is asking people to initially pledge the sum of £70 minimum which will be £20 joining fee and £50 interest free loan.

"We do not want the money immediately, they can pay it over the next 12 months," said Mr. Shadbolt. "We must have the promises from bowlers if we are to go ahead.''

He said he was sure if they and opened the doors of the club they would easily get up to 700 members, but they needed the money.

"What is wrong with the people of the Rushden area? Do they want an indoor centre or not? We had 500 people who when first asked said they would join, but they have not all come forward."

Anyone who wants to pledge to join can do so by contacting officials of the Rushden club or by phoning Rushden 53998, 58902 or 317066.

Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 27^th November 1987

BOWLERS will be well covered by a £320,000 club extension in Rushden

For the Northampton Road building could provide six covered rinks allowing members to play all year round.

Rushden Town Bowls Club set the plan rolling two years ago, but after legal problems, they are only just reaching the planning permission stage.

Organisers who are hoping to open for play in September 1988 need a minimum of £25,000 and 1,000 members before then.

About £20,000 has already been collected from 200 share buyers, said project chairman Ken Shadbolt, although new members need to be convinced they are going to be able to play county and national competitions in the centre next year.

To keep it going, he will need 360 members during the first year, for one of only 210 indoor bowls clubs in the country.

"We are also looking for support from the public who have watched it on television, and would enjoy seeing it played," said Mr Shadbolt.

"We have got to get the 550 members—we can't get this near and fail."

But other clubs have shown the likely form, leaving Rushden Town quietly confident.

"Northampton opened their indoor centre two years ago, and after 1,200 members joined, they closed the list," he said.

Wellingborough's club lost members to Northampton then, but still have a waiting list, he added.

Now Rushden Town are distributing 13,500 application forms, through Northern and Abbotts dairies, and are hoping the Co-op will help them.

Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 11^th August 1986

A FOURTH indoor bowling club in Northamptonshire is being planned by members of the Rushden Town Bowling Club at an estimated cost of £300,000.

Club chairman Roy Stock said that once the idea of their own indoor club had been mooted, a steering committee was set up to judge the support for it.

A special meeting of the club revealed good support from members. The basic ground work had been done and costings revealed that the project would be within the realms of possibility.

The site for the six rink indoor centre will be on land to the north of the existing outdoor green, which had been promised to the club by the John Whites trustees.

Playing support had already been pledged from around 500 people and the committee felt that. It would be a first class sporting facility for the public in the area.

The nearest indoor centres are at Kettering (3 rinks) and Wellingborough (6 rinks). The Northampton indoor centre (8 rinks) was opened in December last year.

Bowlers

"We shall have to look to club members, other bowlers in the area and new bowlers to help raise a minimum of £35,000 towards the total cost" said Mr. Stock.

The £300,000 would be made up by this, a maximum bank loan of £200,000, a provisional brewery loan of £40,000 and a provisional grant from the Sports Council of £25,000.

The indoor centre would be able to cater for 750 members and all members joining would be required to pay a £20 fee, and take out shares in the new company of £50.

Mr. Stock added that the future now hinged on a public meeting which they will be holding at the Higham Ferrers Working Men's Club, on Friday, August 15, at 7.30 pm.