Bowling club hits rough patch

ROUGH patch: club captain Malcolm Talbot (front) and his fellow team mates on the damaged green

A BOWLING club’s green is being constantly blighted by youngsters playing sport, dog walkers and a lack of council maintenance.

Members of Higher Failsworth Bowling Club at Higher Memorial Park, Failsworth, are annoyed that the state of the surface is ruining their season.

Now they want the council to return the uneven green — covered in divots, holes and grassless patches — to its former glory.

Club captain Malcolm Talbot expressed members’ frustrations.

He said: “The green is really difficult to play on because there are big holes from people playing golf and football. People sit and watch until we finish playing, then they come and use it.

“There’s a fence around the green in Werneth. We told the council we would pay to have one built around ours, but they refused.”

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet member for environment and housing, explained the council’s position.

He said: “We are doing our best to beat vandalism in local parks but unfortunately it’s not possible to provide 24-hour surveillance at all the sites across the area. Erecting a fence around the public green at Higher Memorial Park could create the impression of a private bowling club, which may discourage any casual users to use what is a public green.”