Page 21 - May 2023

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Was it that all the health and safety risk
assessments etc. that had to be done
could be done once by a small band of
people for a large Long Mat Centre
whereas it fell on the shoulders of each
Short Mat Club in its own venue?
There was a different feel be-
tween the rigours imposed on clubs by
the ESMBA at that time than, say, the ap-
proach of Bowls England – and possibly
Long Mat too. Has that been a factor?
Putting my hard hat on,
I’ll gently ask whether asking every member of a club to actually sign a Code of Conduct vs
simply making it a condition of belonging to the club may also give an over bureaucratic feel to Short
Mat. I will be accused of hypocrisy as I actually resigned from a club committee and as a league
secretary in outdoor bowls as I didn’t think people were taking my carefully designed Covid guidance
seriously enough – so I do know how difficult it is to get the balance right – and those who do the
work are heroes!

There really does seem to have been a sea change in attitudes post Covid.
Perhaps people are simply valuing their family life more than going out to bowl?

I’ve put forward a few of the issues which seem to be affecting Short Mat in my tiny
area of the country. I’d love to hear the experience of other clubs.

How Far Will Bowls Shrink?

Following on from Elaine’s article, I had already prepared the following
article as I am very concerned about our loss in numbers. Sorry, I raise
this topic yet again. Has it run its course? I give a firm no to that ques-
tion as there is an enormous future outside the UK around the World.
In the UK we are sadly not regarded well commercially. there are
some exceptions but take the case of Warner Holidays. For years they
had 4 indoor bowls venues but now they only have one. First to go was
Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales. It was probably the least used but I ran Short Mat holidays
there for 19 years. More recently Gunton Hall in Suffolk has now been used for other sports and the
same applies with Lakeside in Hampshire and we are just left with Bembridge on the Isle-of-Wight.
We are still left with Potters but now they have become All-inclusive, a number bowlers seem unwilling
to pay the all-inclusive price.
Crown Green bowls has been declining for many years and we have lost many greens over
the years. Lawn bowls has also lost greens, not helped (in my opinion) by overly strict dress regula-
tions. All sports grow and fall over very long periods but for us in the UK, we are still on the decline,
so we need to grow the sport around the World.
Lawn bowls, both indoor and out are trying to do something about
it. But it seems that the other versions of bowls seem to be doing little or
nothing. There is of course much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth but
there is no substitute for positive action.
Many versions of bowls also seem inflicted by bowlers trying not
to pay for their sport. Throw in our declining ages and you can see what
is happening. Bowls is of course not the only shrinking sport, whilst others
are growing. I always remember the saying “that not enough is being done
for the apathetic!” My other complaint is that we do little to promote our
sports. I’m 77 and running out of time but I’m still really bothered for my sport.