A BOWLING club has started a fightback to secure its future by giving its premises a complete facelift.

The future of Kings Head Bowling Club in Ulverston looked precarious last year after talks to convert the bowling green into a ‘more accessible’ space.

The club, which is attached to The Kings Head pub in Queen’s Street, has been in operation for 200 years and is particularly popular for the town’s older generation, with more than 600 individual games played on the green last season.

Concerns were raised that the club’s 10-year lease with Marston’s, which owns the pub and bowling green, may not be renewed due to dwindling membership.

However, to the delight of remaining members, the brewery has given the club a one-year extension - and committee members are intent on proving their club is worth fighting for.

Peter Winston, treasurer of Kings Head Bowling Club, said the club had undergone a ‘complete facelift’ - and is urging new members to sign up.

He said: “The previous landlord wanted to convert the bowling green into a beer garden and our whole future was uncertain.

“However, the new landlords seem really keen and supportive on preserving the space as a bowling green.

“We’re starting from scratch. A lot of things have been run down over the past few years so we’re taking steps to clean them up as best as possible.

“We’re currently putting together a business plan on giving the site a complete face lift with a new committee and push for members. We’re getting the green back into shape, painting the seats and fence, putting new signs up.

“We’re giving the whole area a big tidy up in time for our first match in a few weeks. We want to prove to the brewery that bowling is still popular and has a future in Ulverston.

“We’d like to attract a bigger membership and get back into the league.

“We’re recruiting new members at the moment so hopefully we get a good response.

“Hopefully once we’ve made all these changes, we’ll have done enough to prove to the brewery this club has a future.

“It’s all looking up and we’re enthusiastic to get new and old members on board.”

Contact the club secretary on 07887593773.