Map Link - Shiregreen Bowls Club!

[dunsbyowl1867]

There you go Richard!

Map 58

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...ost&id=5973

Yobs bowl out club.

(From The Star (Sheffield))

THEY'VE been playing Crown Green Bowls in Shiregreen since before World War II...

They survived the Blitz and Hitler's bombs and the decline of Sheffield's steel industry.

But the heartbroken players have been forced to close the bowling club on the eve of its 70th anniversary because of a modern day menace - anti-social behaviour Historic Concord Park Bowling Club - which began in 1937 - is reluctantly calling it a day after a spate of vandalism attacks by young yobs. In the last few years the club has seen quad bikers tearing up the greens, the pavilion set alight and bricks thrown at players in broad daylight.

Club secretary Peter Crawley, aged 57, said today: "Who wants to be turning up to play a match when you are getting shouted and sworn at? "The yobs don't care who they have a go at - they tackle the old and vulnerable which is what our members are.

"Youth nuisance has definitely got worse. Four or five years ago you just didn't get it. It used to be that certain parks attracted certain types but it seems to be spreading itself and it's just endemic." In its heyday the club - which used council-maintained greens - was one of the largest in Sheffield regularly fielding men and women's teams in weekday and weekend fixtures.

But over the last few years numbers have dwindled in the face of growing anti-social behaviour.

Mr Crawley, a member for 30 years, said: "We have had people riding scooters across the greens and throwing bricks at us while we are playing on Saturday afternoons and the pavilion was burned down.

"There have been that many things happening you lose count." Robert Jackson, president of the Sheffield and District Parks Bowling Association, said: "They have been frightened out of the place because of vandalism. They were due to start the new season next week but they have decided as a club they just can't go on - it's so sad.

"Everything is provided for the youngsters in that park but all they want to do is smash things up and ruin other people's enjoyment. They seem to take delight in hurting people." Veterans' secretary Fred Kynoch, aged 74, said: "The club has just dwindled away. In the end we didn't have enough players to turn a team out." David Hargate, parks and countryside manager at Sheffield Council said: "We have done our best to try and assist the club with problems of vandalism."

[dunsbyowl1867]

Shame!