History

History

The Clacton & District Indoor Bowls Club Ltd was founded 1936 as a winter club and was based at the Winter Gardens on the Clacton Sea front with the first match being played on the 19th December 1936.

The green consisted of three rinks and except for a break during the war was in constant use until 1972. Annual subscription was £1.10s or 6d (2½p) per hour.

The need to find new facilities was made important as support for indoor bowling grew and, along with Tendring DC, a site was finally found and the construction of a four rink purpose built bowls club was completed in 1972 at a cost of £22,000. The site being leased from the District Council but all construction costs, with the help of a small government grant, raised by members.

Honours board at Clacton Bowls Club

The Club

A gradual increase in membership led to a review of the club in 1980 which led to an extension to the building which provided an additional two rinks, new dining room, changing rooms and toilets, all at a cost of £100,000. Cost being met by grants and loans from the Sports Council and the brewers Green King but again mainly by loans from members of the club.

Various smaller extensions were constructed in the early 1990’s to prove a larger social hall, larger kitchen and enhanced bar facilities. Finally, the two pitched roofs to the bowls rink area were replaced with a single span pitch roof which increased to size of the hall to provide a raised viewing gallery along one side of the rinks.

The lease was finally bought from the council, after much negotiation, in 2004 at a cost of £137,000.00 providing a full ownership of the building as seen today. The club continues to provide a first class local community club with both county and national profile whilst also providing first class facilities for its membership.

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