Wirral South MP Alison McGovern officially opens Bromborough’s new bowling alley

Dec 19 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Bromborough and Bebington News

BROMBOROUGH’S once closure-threatened bowling alley has officially opened in its new home.

Bromborough Bowl made the switch to a unit in Bassendale Road from the Croft Retail Park after the park’s owners announced plans to redevelop its leisure area.

The future of the facility was in doubt after the proposals were announced last summer.

Wirral South MP Alison McGovern declared the new bowling alley open on Saturday and handed out awards to members of Bromborough Youth Bowling Club.

The MP and Wirral councillors including Steve Niblock were given a guided tour of the new facility, which includes restaurant and bar facilities, a training room for sport coaching and a bowling supplies shop.

Bromborough Bowl owners Stuart Jaap and Trevor Green said the new bowling alley could not have opened without support from Ms McGovern.

Mr Jaap said: “Alison has been one of our biggest supporters and has assisted our plight from the very beginning when bowling in our area was looking to disappear.

“Without her help we would not have this facility today.”

Dominic Finnigan, president of the Bromborough Youth Bowling club and chairman of the Cheshire Tenpin Bowling Association, said he was overwhelmed by the new facility and it would help the club’s next generation of bowlers.

He said: “It’s quite astonishing that we nearly lost one of the best group of youth bowlers and instructors in the country.

“Now we have one of if not the best bowling facility in the country. We now have the opportunity to produce some of the best bowlers for years to come and – if it is possible as they are so good now – to improve our current youth bowlers now. We already have local, county, national and international bowlers here and we can now truly claim with this new facility we are a ‘Home of Champions’.”

Members of Bromborough Young Bowling Club triumphed last week at the County Championship cup and were given their trophies at the opening ceremony.

Jake Edwards retained his Under-14 Boys country trophy and was also honoured for scoring 300 in a bowling game.

Katie Elliott again won the Under-12 Girls county trophy and Katie Finnigan also retained her Under-14 Girls county trophy, making it her fifth year in a row as County Champion.

Bromborough Youth Bowling Club meets every Saturday at 10am.