Leeds Crown Green Bowling consultation underway: Harehills Park Bowling Club reaction

Leeds residents are being encouraged to have a say on proposals for changes to the city’s crown green bowling facilities.

Transcript

00:00I'm absolutely heartbroken. If us at Heralds for all that we're doing are on that hit list

00:06from the council then it gives no hope for any of the other clubs that are just finding

00:11their feet.

00:12These are the bowling greens facing potential closure after Leeds City Council have announced

00:16plans to save around £275 million over the next five years. They've launched a consultation

00:22which runs until Sunday 26th January. Option 1 would see council run greens reduced by

00:27around half which they say will allow maintenance to be better targeted. Option 2 would see

00:32season ticket prices rising significantly. Hare Hills Park Bowling Club have been reflecting

00:36on the plans.

00:37It's just so short-sighted of the council to think that they need to make a saving of

00:43£140,000 across 61 projects in Leeds essentially. The impact of closing them is far greater

00:52than the money that they propose to save. The two options that they're proposing in

00:56this consultation are not viable. Both options will kill off Crown Green Bowling and all

01:01the heritage. They've been discussing these hub sites but the logistics and the practicality

01:06of three clubs working from one green won't work and at a time when Leeds profess to be

01:12an age-friendly city, it's just horrid.

01:16The benefits of being just outdoors in the fresh air are brilliant but to have the gentle

01:20exercise, the walking, the bending and the rest of it and the social interaction is vitally

01:25important for the cognitive health. If say even 40% of those bowlers stop bowling and

01:3260% go to them other clubs, the council are still going to lose the season ticket money

01:37and these spaces should be freely open just like basketball courts and tennis courts are

01:42or the rest of the park for people to enjoy.

01:44Leeds City Council have said demand for Crown Green Bowling has fallen by 39% since 2014.

01:51They say the proposals reflect the seriousness of their financial situation but recognise

01:56the plans will cause concern to bowling club members.