The G.W. Staniforth Bowls Club is at risk of closure.

The Club has existed since 1951 but is at risk of closing after this season, following a decision by the GW Staniforth Trust to significantly increase the Bowls Club's rent.

The last remaining Bowls Club in Thetford have long paid a rent of £300 per annum and they offered to increase this to £1000. But the Club’s landlord, the G.W Staniforth Trust have recently insisted on a new rate of £3,950 per annum. A totally unaffordable amount for a small club, consisting of mainly older people.

The club, who were founded in 1951 and have around 55 members held an animated Emergency General Meeting (EGM) in July at which the new rent proposal was discussed.

Club Secretary John Wright said: “This has come at the wrong time for many of our members. We are only just recovering from Covid both as a club and individually – we have an elder demographic who need a bit of confidence before a return to a full social scene again, not a huge rent rise”.

The Bowls Club pay for all upkeep of the bowls rink as well as clubhouse repairs and decoration, inside and out. Members heard that the club have a bank balance of around £10,000 with estimated outlay of £7,000 expected in September for the year ahead.

Mr Wright added: “The financial reality is subs would need to rise from the current £50 a year to £150.With a cost-of-living crisis in full swing, this is completely unfeasible. We expected a rise – but this seems punitive. If the club does fold Thetford would be the biggest town in England without a  green. After 71 years it would be such a loss.”

We are co-ordinating a petition which will be presented to Trustees of the GW Staniforth Trust and ask that they reconsider their decision to increase the rent and instead work with, and support the Bowls Club so that it can remain operating. We feel that a smaller increase would be more reasonable, and save the bowls club from folding, and the space occupied by the bowls club becoming redundant.

The photo is of George Wild Staniforth, seated third from left on the front row, with other members of his bowls team - pictured in 1935. Mr Staniforth left his house (Kings House) and the grounds (Kings House gardens) to the people of Thetford. As a keen bowls player himself, he would no doubt be very disappointed if the bowls club were to be forced to close. 

Photo Copyright: David Osborne: Thetford - A Century Remembered.