Hopes are high that bowlers will be able to continue using the county-standard bowling green at Newsome Working Men’s Club – despite the club going into liquidation.
Members voted to put the 100-year-old club into voluntary liquidation under the supervision of business advisers Begbies Traynor at a meeting yesterday.
More than 80 members attended the meeting at the club premises on St John’s Avenue, where they heard that the club was no longer financially viable..
But joint liquidator Peter Sargent said there was “an appetite” for the bowling club to survive and it was hoped to agree a deal on that part of the working men’s club’s assets.
Following the meeting, Mr Sargent, partner at Begbies Traynor, appointed property agents Walker Singleton, of Halifax, to market the club’s premises and the bowling green to be sold as separate lots for the benefit of creditors.
Huddersfield man Mr Sargent said: “Despite the liquidation, the club is currently solvent and also has some valuable assets, so all of the known creditors will be paid in full once Walker Singleton are able to secure a buyer for the club’s premises.
“It is sad that the club was no longer viable, but the members really had no choice but to vote for the liquidation that at least opens up the route to salvage the bowling green facilities for continued community use.
“We have already been approached by a representative of the bowling club with an offer for the bowling green,and we anticipate that given the constraints on the recreational use of this land, that this is likely to be successful.”
Newsome WMC, well known as a venue for Huddersfield snooker finals and Yorkshire bowls competitions, is more than a century old and has about 250 members. It boasts a variety of social and sports amenities, including crown green bowling, snooker and pool.
The shutters came down on the club at the end of January. The club has been faced with declining membership while club secretary Dale Oakes said the smoking ban and supermarkets selling cheap beer had also contributed to its plight.
“Sadly the member numbers of Newsome WMC have been befalling for years and it simply ran out of cash,” said Mr Sargent.
“Whilst it is sad to see the end of such a well-loved community facility, we are working to facilitate the continuity of the bowling club if at all possible.
“We hope to grant an access agreement to enable the bowling club to keep using the facilities and maintain its condition, and we hope that with such an appetite for the club to survive we will be able to agree a deal on that part of the club’s assets very soon.”
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