In 1998 the Tennis Club who continued to use the old
brick club house wished to improve their facilities. They approached the Bowling
Club with the objective of building a new pavilion to serve not only bowling and
tennis but any other sporting activity that might join
under the umbrella of the recreation club. There was a great deal of
consternation from bowling club members who had toiled in the purchase, erection
and continuous enhancement of what they felt was their own club house. Over the
years their sweat, work and hard cash had created a unique building that was the
envy of many another Bowling Club and they had little to gain by joining forces
with the Tennis Club. An initial suggestion that the green might lose a yard (or
even a metre) to make way for the pavilion was not received with any great joy.
The
recreation clubhouse, now used exclusively by the tennis club was old and damp.
Windows were broken; it was surrounded by weeds; maintenance was rare. Sharing a
clubhouse seemed to be a retrograde step and bowling club members felt that any
advantage from new shared facilities would be offset by lack of control or
privacy. After all bowlers did not require showers and all other facilities were
already in place.
Ian Anderson
of the Tennis Club took a major role in this project and towards the end of 1999
a design for a new Club house was finalised, plans were passed and money raised.
The Bowling club agreed to a partnership following promises of priority during
the season. However it was too late to start work which was rescheduled for the
following year. Prices were maintained by local builder David Gregory who had
given considerable support to the club over the years.
It is worth recording here that in 1999 David offered £500 to sponsor the Open Triples for the next three years: a very welcome gesture that was deeply appreciated by the Bowling Club.
However in January 2003, prior to the new season, the bowls committee refused to accept the remainder (£150) which had been offered just prior to the AGM: a decision that created divisions within the club especially as its refusal was accompanied by what can be described as a rather “unfortunate” letter from the incoming secretary. This appeared to be due to the influence of a senior member of the Recreation Club who sent the outgoing secretary an e-mail saying “……… I will do all I can to influence the RBC committee to find another sponsor or to do without.”
Committees are strange animals frequently following those who shout loudest so it was not surprising to hear the comment “well seen this is sheep country”.
It was not the first time that the bowls committee had adopted an oddly negative attitude. In 2001 they voted not to apply for a grant to lower the surrounds which, towering over the green, by some six feet not only posed maintenance problems for the green keeper but was positively dangerous to anyone walking along it: and this was in spite of an assurance that the club would not be liable for any costs whatsoever.
A strange decision when you consider the suing culture that exists today. Something for nothing dismissed so lightly!
But I digress!
As the 2000
season progressed, a housekeeping committee was established to draw up the basic
rules of occupation. It had previously been agreed that the Bowling Club would
have complete control and use of the room overlooking the green throughout its
short season. Outside that time other groups may use it after liaison with the
bowls committee. However a lone, angry voice contended this agreement and
demanded that the bowling club be forced to book its own club house each year.
At this tempers rose and the bowling club threatened to pull out even at this
late stage. All the good work in building trust and co-operation between the two
clubs was dissipated in one fell swoop and two years of hard work disappeared
over night.
Housekeeping
meetings continued over the next few months with topics such as the colour of
china and who would open the new pavilion being high on the agenda, but the
important item of occupation was glossed over. The bowls group reported that
there was no consistency, always meeting different tennis representatives and
there was little progress regarding occupation during the bowling season.
An
extraordinary meeting was held after the prize giving on Presidents Day (modesty
prevents me from mentioning the winning team) at which the club unanimously
declared that unless they were given exclusive rights to occupation throughout
the bowling season they would reject all plans for a new pavilion.
Two weeks later following a friendly with Morpeth Vets (Rothbury won by 6 shots). I Anderson took the opportunity to defuse the situation by advising that the original agreement would be maintained.
The Bowling Club would have priority during the bowling season.
The 2000
season ended on a high note with many social events: dinners, coffee mornings,
and triples. The Pie and Pea Supper in particular was
a great success especially as this was the last major function to be held in the
old club house.
The new pavilion was completed on time over the winter of 2000 in spite of delays due to bad weather. A few minor problems were quickly resolved and even modifications to the disabled toilet, insisted upon by a member, and which had to be changed back to conform to the original plan, was not enough to delay the opening.
There had been some concern over the remainder of the pathway on the south side of the green as only the area immediately in front of the pavilion had been on the plans. The bowls committee reached agreement with David Gregory to complete the remainder of this side at a cost of £600 to be paid for by the bowls club. No money would actually change hands but the £500 for the old hut that had been bought by David plus £100 unpaid sponsorship money would be used. It was regrettable that the hut that had served so well over the years proved to be rotten underneath and had to be scrapped but David Gregory again maintained his side of the bargain and completed the pathway prior to the opening of the season.