Last updated at 16:28, Tuesday, 30 October 2012

FOR the first time in four years, Barrow residents will be able to try for a perfect game when a £250,000 ten-pin bowling alley opens in the town.

BOWLED OVER: Ten-pin bowling is set to return to Barrow. Jonathan Chapman, owner of Cumbria Karting, is opening a new £250,000 bowling alley next to his karting track. Turn to page eight for the full story HARRY ATKINSON REF: 50040403B003

Cumbria Bowling opens its lanes to the public on Thursday as the family-friendly sport makes its long-awaited return to Barrow. The four-lane facility, which will expand to eight lanes early to mid-next year, is the brainchild of Ulverston entrepreneur Jonathan Chapman.

South Cumbria has been without an alley since Barrow Superbowl disappointed bowling fans when it abruptly closed in February 2008.

As well as offering families another entertaining activity, the state of-the-art alley will create up to nine new jobs, providing a much-needed boost to the economy. Having already achieved success with his Cumbria Karting business, Mr Chapman, 22, is bringing the two popular pastimes under one roof at his leased James Freel Close warehouse.

“I was looking for something that wasn’t in the area – a gap in the market – and ten-pin bowling was something Barrow was obviously missing,” he said.

“I had also seen an article in the paper where a lot of children mentioned if they could choose anything to come to Barrow, it would be a bowling alley.

“That helped with my market research and by incorporating it in the same building as the karting it makes it more of an attraction because people can do both easily.”

The alley is fitted-out with computerised scoring, automated bumpers, speed readings and super-fast pin-resetting. A cafe serving snacks and drinks will be running from day one, while a licensed bar is planned subject to licensing approval.

“It’s the only centre in England to have go-karting and ten-pin bowling under one roof,” Mr Chapman said.

“We’ll have promotions where if 10 or more people come karting then they get a free hour of bowling with it, which will get more people from further away travelling to Barrow.

“We’ve also invited 11 local schools to pick 32 students each to come along and try the lanes free for an hour as a bit of a reward or incentive.”

Mr Chapman said he hoped the new alley would encourage a return of the bowling leagues that were forced to fold when Superbowl closed.

“If people want to organise their own leagues they can, but once we get established and the other lanes are in, then I’d like to see a proper league set up for people who bowl more seriously,” he said.

First published at 16:15, Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk