Jersey Bowling Club ‘are in limbo again’

Jersey Bowling Club was set to lose its Westmount site to make way for the new hospital ? before the agreed ?one-site? project at Overdale was thrown into doubt Picture: DAVID FERGUSON

JERSEY BOWLING CLUB president Jim Le Lion concedes that his members are ‘treading water’ as they await their fate from the protracted new-hospital proposals.

Over two years after Overdale was officially selected as the preferred site by the Government of Jersey’s Council of Ministers, Le Lion says the club still does not know what is going on – or where their future lies.

JBC, which has stood on the current Westmount site for 110 years, was due to move to Warwick Farm in September as part of a venue-swap arranged via the Parish of St Helier, but all plans are now on hold following the latest review – and reversal – of previously-made decisions relating to the hospital.

‘We need to know where we stand going forward,’ said Le Lion.

‘But we are engaged with the parish [St Helier] and the States, who are in contact and supporting us as best they can.’

However, the club’s current lease is due to expire in February 2023 and Le Lion says that while they are in communication with their landlords, they are unable to maintain the ‘deteriorating’ greens as well as they would like.

He added that they are also unable to attract new sponsors while being left ‘in limbo’.

‘The lease with the parish is due to end and they cannot give us a proper lease until we are know what is going to happen,’ he explained.

‘We are looking at rolling the current lease so we are not kicked out. I emailed the parish last week and I am waiting for a reply but I am feeling confident. I’ve been in constant touch with [Deputy] Tom Binet but until the States sort themselves out there is nothing to be done.

‘We’re doing what we can to keep the green ticking over but the last three years have been spent messing about and it has deteriorated quite a bit. We’ve got to do some work and we have received advice from a UK expert on what we should do.

‘We are now looking to get support from the parish but to try to recover the situation at some stage will come at a cost and we cannot get sponsorship if we don’t know if we are going to be there.

‘Our AGM is being held next Wednesday where we will give members a further update. Our gut feeling is we will be allowed to stay next year.

‘I’ve voiced my opinions. We’ve done the best we can and we want to stay where we are.’

– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –