Loss of bowls impacts so many on Fylde coast but crown green season isn't written off yet

The Waterloo Hotel is the focal point of Fylde coast bowling but its spring tournaments have been cancelled

But not this year.

There are 19 leagues operating around the Fylde and in any normal year most of them would be starting their season this week or next.

For many of the players, the six months or more of matches provide a most welcome social outlet as well as the opportunity to indulge their sporting and competitive side.

But a message from the British Crown Green Bowling Association a fortnight ago put paid to all that, at least for a while.

It read: “It is with great sadness that we now have to suspend all bowling for the foreseeable future.

“All leagues should now suspend matches until such time as we are given an all- clear to resume competition.”

The Fylde coast’s premier league is the Fylde Amateur Bowling Association and its chairman Peter Jose told The Gazette: “Basically we are following the guidelines. Stopping the bowling really does affect a hell of a lot of people and not only around the Fylde coast, but all we can say to the players is to stay safe, listen to the guidelines and follow them.

“Hopefully people will be able to keep in touch, but with the clubs being closed there isn’t a lot we can do about the social side.

“We’ve had greensmen asking if they should carry on cutting and doing the maintenance to stop the greens getting out of hand.

“It’s OK for them to do bits of work on their own but we can’t have groups of people going down to the clubs.”

One official for whom the news isn’t all bad is Pat Conchie, who looks to have avoided an unenviable job next winter.

Jose explains: “Pat puts the fixtures together for FABA and for around 10 different leagues. We’ve decided that the fixtures Pat has drawn up for 2020 will apply for 2021, so she doesn’t have to do them again.

“Pat is fantastic and people don’t realise what a big job it is. When we’ve had teams drop out of FABA in the past, she has redone all the fixtures.”

This suspension of league fixtures for 12 months does not mean all hope of play this year is lost.

Peter added: “If we are able to start in July or August we could have mini-leagues, with teams maybe splitting into local groups of four to play each other home and away.”

Until then, he says it’s a case of sitting tight and looking after each other.

“Bowling is one big family and of course everyone will miss it, but first and foremost we want everybody to stay safe.

“It’s a way of life for some of our players. There are quite a lot who play in vets’ leagues in the afternoon and then play in the evening leagues as well because they are short of younger players.

“If the restrictions are lifted later in the season and there’s a chance to play some round-robins, that would be great.”

Crown green events cancelled include the men’s and ladies Spring Waterloo tournaments as well as the VE Day Invitational at the iconic South Shore venue.

It is still hoped that the Autumn Waterloo can go ahead, though that depends not only on coronavirus but also on the negotiation of a new lease for the arena.