Jersey's Le Cruex bowls club 'no longer viable'

Les Creux is home to two out of three of Jersey's all-weather greens

Jersey's Les Creux Bowls Club in St Brelade is closing at the end of the month due to a lack of membership.

The venue was built in the early 2000s to serve as Jersey's international bowls venue.

Les Creux is home to two out of three of Jersey's all-weather greens, and is the only club on the island that has two side by side.

President of Bowls Jersey Greg Davis said the closure was his "biggest regret."

'Wasn't for everybody'

Mr Davis said the greens at Les Creux were converted from grass to carpet more than a decade ago to be "more financially viable" but the change had contributed to the club's demise.

He said the new greens lowered the ground rent but "carpet wasn't for everybody".

As a result, Mr Davis said members had moved away to other clubs.

He said: "The membership of Les Creux is so small and the venue and the greens are so vast with all the maintenance that it's not a viable proposition for them to carry on going.

"It's very unfortunate that it's got to this point. We just don't have the members or the manpower up there to be able to keep it as a going concern."

'Lot of potential'

Speaking to BBC Radio Jersey, Constable Andy Jehan said he "wasn't aware" the club was struggling until he took over the remit for sports recently.

He said he was hopeful politicians could "get around the table" to get people utilising the facilities.

Mr Jehan said: "A number of sports groups have approached us, as well as a community group in the area, so we need to look at Les Creux as a whole.

"There's a lot of potential there to do community things, as well as sports things."

Jersey Bowling Club, St Brelades Bowls Club, St Saviours Bowls Club and Sun Bowls Club remain open.