Bowls fest hope after meeting

Fleetwood Bowls Festival at Marine Gardens, Fleetwood.
Ladies final. Julie Gardner (bowling) on her way to defeating Claire Williams. — Fleetwood Bowls Festival at Marine Gardens, Fleetwood. Ladies final. Julie Gardner (bowling) on her way to defeating Claire Williams.

Fleetwood Town Council could offer assistance to help keep the town's under-threat bowls festival rolling in Fleetwood.

That’s the news after a Fleetwood Bowls Festival open meeting was held to discuss the latest challenges to the annual event.

As revealed recently, the festival is facing some difficulties in continuing after a number of long-serving committee members stated they would be retiring.

The cash prize festival has been running in Fleetwood for some 30 years and is one of the town’s success stories, attracting competitors from across Britain and boosting shops and hotels.

But unless there are enough volunteers to succeed the departing committee members and help run next year’s event, it’s future could be in serious question.

There is even the possibility that the event, predominantly based in the Marine Gardens, could even be switched to somewhere else on the coast.

The meeting was attended by Fleetwood Town Council member, Councillor Terry Rogers, who said the festival should continue for the benefit of the bowlers and Fleetwood itself.

And he said the council could look into the possibility of providing logistical help by using various social media outlets to advertise for replacements and help keep the event going - and in Fleetwood.

Alan Ward, festival co-ordinator, said the meeting was positive, stating: “The people who asked questions were all supportive of keeping the Fleetwood Bowls Festival going and some volunteered their services in joining the organising group which was very promising.

“It was agreed that another meeting would be held in the near future to form a new committee.

“After that, a new statement on the future of the 2018 Fleetwood Bowls Festival will be announced.”

The meeting, at Fleetwood Bowling Club, was attended by mostly locals but others from as far away as Cheshire, Wigan and Burnley.

Pat Roscoe, festival chairman, outlined some of the vacancies and the skills needed.

Coun Rogers later said: “It would a great shame if Fleetwood lost this event so I will discuss the issue at the next meeting of Fleetwood Town Council in September.”

For further details or to join the committee, phone Pat Roscoe on 07779 673587.