Members urge council to rethink closing Nottinghamshire bowls club
By Anna Whittaker
Nottingham political reporter
Members of a long-standing bowls club in Gedling, Nottinghamshire, are calling on the council to reconsider plans to close the centre they call home. Gedling Indoor Bowls Club, which opened in 1987, draws more than 300 members across a wide age range—from teenagers to those over 90.
Gedling Borough Council intends to shut the Richard Herrod Centre, where the bowls club operates, and the Carlton Forum Leisure Centre, replacing both with a new facility named Carlton Active. The proposed complex would feature a swimming pool and a gym.
The club is renowned as the Birthplace of Disability Bowls and hosts disability bowls tournaments. At present, the club leases the bowling green from the council.
Initially, council plans for Carlton Active hinted at a reduced bowls provision. However, the latest proposals appear to omit a bowling green altogether. The council has attributed this to the substantial additional cost of providing a bowls facility within the new centre.
The council notes that the Richard Herrod Centre received a subsidy exceeding £500,000 in 2024/25, though the club’s director contends that these costs are not attributable to the club, which remains financially viable.
A public consultation conducted in May indicated that most respondents supported a new leisure centre, which could include an eight-lane swimming pool, a gym, community rooms, a café, and a soft play area.
In September, the cabinet approved outline plans for the new centre, but recent actions have delayed a final decision. Members of the club delivered a petition bearing about 1,200 signatures, prompting a deferral. The cabinet is slated to revisit the decision in February 2026.
Ian Summerscales, the club’s director, described the potential closure as “devastating.” He stated: “We would be happy to collaborate with the council to explore options that would allow us to continue indoor bowls.” He expressed concern that any delay, especially with the lease expiring in April, could jeopardize members’ health due to reduced social interaction, noting that some members have cried over the situation and that it could be detrimental to well-being.
Len Knight, 65, has bowled at Gedling for two decades and says the sport helped him manage depression and anxiety. He recalled being referred for talking therapy and told to continue playing bowls as part of his treatment, emphasizing the social and physical benefits of the sport.
Maggy Smith, a club member since its inception and a recipient of an MBE for services to disability bowls, recalled how the club grew out of the needs of bowlers with cerebral palsy and amputations in 1998. She credited the club with fostering inclusion and inspiring other clubs to welcome disabled players. She described the council’s plans as a shock and said the nearest clubs are Nottingham and Erewash, calling the proposed changes a disgrace and noting that inclusive sports are rare.
Carole Andrews, the club’s bowls secretary and a member since 1994, described the club as everything to her, highlighting that post-Covid recovery had already strained membership and that the club’s continued operation is a lifeline for many.
Gedling Borough Council spokespersons asserted that support is being provided to the club and explained that, while indoor bowls were considered for the new centre, the costs were not affordable alongside other priorities. They said a public consultation showed a preference for a swimming pool and added that the council recognises the important role Richard Herrod Centre has played in disability bowls. The spokespersons pledged ongoing constructive collaboration with the bowls club, partners, and residents as the cabinet weighs the petition and next steps in February.
The council also noted that assessments of alternative sites to host a new bowls club have been completed; Summerscales argued that these sites are “clearly unaffordable” for the club.
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