AFTER a five year wait the Calne Bowls Club has been saved from potential closure thanks to the opening of a new £45,000 pavilion last weekend.

The pavilion, which officially opened at 1.30pm last Saturday (Apr 16), was supposed to have been built two years ago on the club's 100th anniversary but was delayed due to funding issues.

The previous building, which dated back to the 1950s, was plagued with structural problems with the floor in certain parts rotting away making it difficult for female bowlers to change before playing.

Former president of the bowls club George Henderson, 74, said: “I am really happy. We have been waiting five years since we put in the application request to the county council.

“It is brilliant to get it up and running. Really first class and we are looking forward to getting a lot more new members on board in the near future.

“The old pavilion was holding the bowls club back. It would have been the end of the club if we did not get this done.

“There was a real possibility that we would have folded up as the members were a bit fed up with the state of the old pavilion but now they are happy.”

Funding for the new pavilion came from four different sources including £20,000 from Sports England, £15,000 from Hills Waste Solutions and £800 from the Calne Area Board with the rest from the town council.

The bowls club will also be holding an open day for prospective new members at the pavilion this Saturday (Apr 23) at 10am with all members of the public welcome.

Mr Henderson, who has been a member of the club for 38 years, added: “The floor was getting rotten and a bit old and decrepit, which is what happens to some of us as we age.

“They took out the old building and put up a new one just as big. It makes life a little easier and allows people to use the changing facilities a little better.

“I would like to say thank you to all the people who funded us and especially to Kevin Whitehorn, who really did the majority of the spade work.”

Mr Whitehorn is the Beversbrook sports and community facility manager and was heavily involved in the project.