Save Skegness bowling greens campaign launched

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A campaign is being launched to save Skegness bowling greens after fears major tournaments could be lost.

Transcript

00:00 A campaign is being launched after fears major bowls tournaments that have

00:06 boosted the economy in Skegness for 68 years may be lost.

00:11 Hi my name is Kyle Macy and I'm the Wimford Ward District Councillor.

00:16 Now we're at the North Parade Bowling Greens which are looking very smart today ahead of the

00:23 over 55s competition which comes to Skegness at the weekend but there are

00:29 concerns aren't there? Absolutely yes we've heard that East Linsey are

00:33 planning to pull the funding after this year for the competitions and for the

00:38 bowling greens that take place here. We think that that is a bad move backwards

00:43 realistically. They've been here for now 68 years, the gardens have been here for

00:48 nearly over a hundred and it brings in a lot of money to the local economy and

00:52 it's part of the heritage and history of Skegness and we really want to do

00:56 everything we can to save them and ensure that these competitions continue on.

01:00 Now there are two major competitions that take place here on there how many

01:07 people do they attract? Well the biggest one is the English Bowls Federation's

01:11 finals which take place in August and they bring in we estimate around a

01:15 thousand people now that's with families that come along with them. They're all

01:19 spending the local economy it's fantastic to see so many people here the

01:24 restaurants, bars, everywhere is busy from this as well as our guest houses, our bed

01:29 and breakfasts and hotels and it's something that we need in a cost of

01:32 living crisis where we need this in the local economy. Now already the word has

01:40 got around hasn't it and there's going to be a public meeting tell me about

01:43 that? Yeah absolutely on the 19th of June at 6 p.m. here at Songcastle there will

01:48 be a public meeting open to all and what we want to do is ensure that our

01:52 residents come along as well as those involved in the bowls and tell us what

01:56 they feel they don't want to be losing these greens. Obviously you know as I've

02:00 already said it's historical here and because they do have such an impact we

02:05 want the residents as well as the business owners to say you know this is

02:09 what it brings into us this is something we're going to sadly miss if it doesn't

02:13 continue. Now the area clearly does need some money spending on it sort of

02:18 changing rooms across there and and the surrounds of the greens. Do you think

02:26 really that bowling is is something of the past and maybe the council should be

02:33 looking at putting something new here? I don't think this should be I think you

02:38 know that the greens are used three to four times a week during the summer

02:40 months as we've said there are two competitions for the over 55s Bowls

02:44 Club we have the EBS major competition in August and in reality I think if the

02:51 greens were kept better we'd actually see even more people coming along and

02:54 using these. At the end of the day they are a piece of history and heritage for

02:59 Skegness which we need to keep and we need to actually ensure that we see more

03:03 usage of them and if they are to be kept better and some investment goes in them

03:07 we're already hearing we will see even more people return to make use of these.

03:13 Good morning, Richard Underwood here, I'm the landlord of the Suncastle here on the Skegness seafront.

03:19 Now the Suncastle it actually is in front of the bowling greens isn't it and

03:25 and it's something that you look out on every day. What do you think about the

03:32 news that the council isn't going to keep looking after them? I think it'd be

03:38 a devastating blow to Skegness and the local economy. The Bowls Weeks are really

03:44 well supported unfortunately there are less Bowls Weeks now but there's a number

03:49 of mitigating factors why that is. There's certainly an appetite for these

03:53 greens to be used more. In regards to the local economy the bed and breakfasts, the

03:58 hotels, the local pubs and restaurants are extremely busy due to the Bowls Weeks

04:03 that take place. The Nationals finals in August have always been very well

04:07 supported. This will be the 69th year this year and to lose this really would

04:11 be a massive blow to the town. And you said you had your own team actually

04:17 coming out and tidying the area to make it nice for the over 55s who are coming

04:22 at the weekend. That's right yeah we're getting ready with preparations for

04:25 another Bowls Week. I look forward to welcoming all the bowlers and the

04:30 organisers here from Sunday and we just sincerely hope that this isn't the last

04:35 year this competition takes place. And you're hosting the public meeting here

04:39 at the Suncastle aren't you? We are hosting the public meeting next

04:43 Wednesday 19th at 6 o'clock. When I heard the news on Thursday morning

04:49 regarding this decision I was really really quite upset and angry that no

04:54 local businesses have been consulted on the matter. And when I arrived on

04:58 Thursday morning I looked out over the back of the greens here I thought we've

05:01 got to fight this because every day that I arrive at work if the greens were to

05:05 go then I'd be angry and upset at myself for not trying to do something about it.

05:11 East Linsey District Council says they are aware of the public meeting and

05:16 would welcome hearing from anyone interested in taking on the bowling

05:21 greens.

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