A BOWLING club in East Yorkshire has officially reopened following repair works after it received a grant of more than £50,000.

Stewart Bowling Club in Pocklington hosted an Australian Rules Tournament fun day to mark the official reopening.

The repair works were funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council through commuted sums, paid to the authority by developers.

In total the club were awarded £52,574 so that they could replace the central heating gas boiler in the clubhouse which was 20-years-old and in a poor state of repair with a new wall-mounted boiler which is more efficient and will provide better heating for winter activities.

The funding was also awarded to upgrade the toilet facilities, making them safer and more hygienic, purchase new foldable tables and chairs for inside the clubhouse to allow easier movement when Short Mat Bowling takes place, and make improvements to the green.

Sue Douthwaite, lady president of Stewart Bowling Club, said: “We have 50 members who play in matches and about 20 who choose to play at least twice a week socially if they wish. We play in six mixed leagues and one ladies league. This funding has meant that the improvements to the clubhouse has made us a popular venue for weekly local groups such as scrabble, whist, bridge and a film group, as well as our own fundraising events. Also, the green surround improvements make us a popular club to host league finals etc. All of this provides local residents with social gatherings and exercise for all abilities.”

Stewart Bowling Club will now be able to offer better clubhouse facilities which will also be available for hire by other clubs and an improved green, making playing easier and safer for all involved.

The bowling club, which has been established for more than 50 years, receives no other funding, and the income raised by club fundraising events is spent on maintaining the club house and bowling green, so they sought funding for the works.

Sue Douthwaite added: “The sides of the ditch were wood before, which often needed attention and rotted easily. It now has concrete sections – these are the correct shape for a wood to go into, with the astroturf covering the concrete to protect the woods on entry. The whole of the old ditch had to be dug out, the irrigation pipes checked and levelled, slots made to lift out to enter the green with mowers plus grass seeds etc. It took two or three men over three weeks to do the work, but it should last for future generations.”