Denaby’s £6,000 Bowls Green

A new £6,000 bowls green was opened at Denaby last. Friday to replace the existing green off Tickhill Square, which it was said, was a handicap to the local bowls team.

The 40 square yard green, with a 14 inch crown, situated behind Denaby United football ground, was opened by Mr. Jack Woods, South Yorkshire representative of C.I.S.W.O., who financed the green. After a celebration in the new pavilion, a friendly game between the A and B bowls team was played. Special guests included Mr. Tommy Salt and Mr. Arthur Roberts, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Denaby and Cadeby Miners’ Welfare Board of Trustees.

The home teams, a section of the Denaby and Cadeby Athletic Club, have a playing membership of over 80.

“The green we have been playing on is very small,” said Bowls secretary, Mr, Steve Clayton, “and for our large membership a full size green was much needed. The old green was too easy for visiting teams to play on and we were losing points in competitions. It was a 35 by 34 yard green with a very small crown, which was handicapping our teams. With a larger green we will have the same advantage that home teams usually have”.

Busy Programme

The very active Bowls Section is at present running two teams in the Doncaster Saturday League, two in the Doncaster Midweek League, two in the Doncaster Hospital Cup and one in the Yorkshire Cup.

But with their new, long awaited green, the Section faces a difficulty which is affecting all local sports in consequence of the merger of Denaby and Cadeby Collieries. ”There will be a decrease in the sports allocations from the miners’ stoppages”, said Mr. Clayton. “These are shared between the Athletic Club’s football, cricket, tennis and bowls sections. It will affect us seriously but we are hoping it will not put us in financial difficulties.

“What we are worried about is vandalism. The other sections have suffered greatly. the tennis pavilion was destroyed to such an extent that it had to be pulled down earlier this year, The old green was not so much affected as it was in a prominent positon but the new one is removed front the main roads. We would prefer them to keep off rather than provoke us to prosecute.”