'We're going nowhere' bowls club insists

A bowls club in Nottinghamshire has insisted it is not moving, despite the leisure centre it is based in facing closure.

Gedling Indoor Bowls Club, which opened in 1987 and has more than 300 members, is based in the Richard Herrod Centre, which Gedling Borough Council plans to close and replace with a new leisure facility.

The club's lease ends in April but members say they will fight plans to force them to find a new home and have taken legal advice.

A council statement said it "has received legal correspondence from the club which is being reviewed", adding it will "continue to engage constructively with the club".

In September 2025 the council announced plans to replace the Richard Herrod Centre and Carlton Forum Leisure Centre, as part of a project called Active Carlton.

The Labour-run authority said the planned site would not include indoor bowls due to the "significant" additional cost, prompting the bowls club to launch a petition in order to secure space at the new facility, which council documents say is estimated to cost about £30m.

It also said a survey of residents found a new pool and gym complex was seen as a priority.

Ian Summerscales, the club's director, said the club had no plans to move at the end of next month.

"We have nowhere to go at this present time, and that would be devastating for us and the people who use this centre," he said.

"We have a statutory right to stay beyond the [end] of April, so we're going nowhere. To use a bowls analogy, this is not the last end."

In a statement the council said: "As this matter relates to legal correspondence and potential legal considerations, it would not be appropriate to comment on the detail at this stage.

"The council is reviewing the position and will continue to engage constructively with the club."

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