Repairs planned for Preston bowling greens wrecked during Covid lockdown "misuse"

All four of the greens in Moor Park were subject to what Preston City Council describes as “lengthy periods of misuse” throughout the first year of the pandemic.

One of the playing areas is a completely flat surface - as opposed to the traditional “crown green” with a raised centre - and is designed specifically for use by blind and visually impaired bowlers. Those players have since been unable to enjoy competitive matches, as there are no other suitable facilities for them in the area.

The authority’s cabinet has now committed almost £33,000 to bringing two of the playing surfaces back up to scratch - the one flat green and one of the crowns - while it assesses whether there is demand for the remaining two to be reinstated.

A report to cabinet members noted that usage of the city’s parks had significantly increased in the lockdowns, during which - except for the strictest periods - some outdoor recreation had been permitted.

That opportunity to get outdoors had seen the bowling greens “used extensively for picnics, football and other recreational activities, which caused widespread damage to the playing surface”, the document stated.

Steve Dewitt, from the Preston and District Blind Bowling Club said that members had stayed away for the first 12 months after Covid struck - and were horrified by what they discovered on their eventual return in the summer of 2021.

“There was a huge bald patch in the middle - that whole section was just earth. It looked like people had been playing five-a-side football on it - and probably other things as well.

“The grass was worn away and there were big holes [in the playing surface]. Nobody had been cutting the grass, either - so it was a real mess,” explained Steve, who added that he was delighted that the council had resolved to invest in repairs.

He said that while the authority’s grounds staff had since done their best to improve the situation, the green remains “very bad to play on” - meaning that the intra-club competitions have become a thing of the past, with members now playing purely for fun and socialising. The condition of the surface has also prevented the club from inviting others from further afield to come to Preston for matches.

“You bowl and just have no idea whether you're going to get anywhere near the jack,” Steve said.

The greens will be restored using a new substrate material which will be seeded with fine grasses to establish new, hard-wearing playing surfaces.

Meanwhile Steve hopes that the refurbishment will attract other visually-impaired bowlers to join the friendly club - whatever their age.

“Bowls has a reputation as an older person’s game. I’m in my 60s now, but when I first came along about 15 years ago, I thought it wasn’t going to be for me - but after one afternoon, I loved it.”