Concern growing at demise of Shropshire Bowls clubs

Latest to go is Oswestry League club Flexys, with news of their folding and exit from the green at the former Monsanto Works at Cefn Mawr, near Chirk, confirmed at Monday’s county executive meeting.

Winners of division two of the Oswestry League in 2016, Flexys finished second bottom off division one last year and their sad demise was discussed by Oswestry officials at a meeting on Sunday night.

And it’s been a worrying winter for Shrewsbury-based Albert Road as they face up to the imminent loss of a green formerly known as Perkins and Reman that has hosted many big events, including a County Merit finals.

Negotiations with the landowner over the building of a new green at a different location continue, but the three-year uncertainty is causing many bowlers to leave for other clubs said long-serving groundsman John Griffiths.

He has carried out the winter maintenance programme on the green as usual and hopes the club will have at least one more year on it.

But it seems unlikely that Albert Road will field all the teams in 2019 that it did last year – namely a Wem League team on Mondays, Tanners Shrewsbury on Tuesday nights and Tanners Shropshire on Fridays, plus two veterans teams in the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens.

County chairman Barry Jennings told executive delegates: “It’s worrying we regularly receive correspondence regarding the loss of greens and venues that now are struggling to survive – and we are limited to what advice we can give.”

But he urged clubs with worries to consult the British Crown Green Bowling Association handbook and its guidelines for clubs whose greens face closure.

Tanners Shropshire League secretary Anthony Price said they were aware of Albert Road’s plight, adding: “The league obviously wants to support all clubs and will do anything possible to help them retain their green.”