MONDAY will mark the end of an era for Monterey's Francis Drake Bowling Club.
Members will be grieving the loss of the club, which was established in 1948, when it closes on March 24.
Its demise was announced last Friday, March 14, by Ramsgate RSL Memorial Club for reasons which include "financial difficulties".
The two parties amalgamated in 2007 under the agreement that Francis Drake would run for 10 years.
However, an information document about the closure showed that trading conditions at Francis Drake had declined over that period and is consequently threatening the RSL's future.
"We have received legal advice that closing Francis Drake within the 10-year time frame is entirely reasonable to ensure the survival of the main club," the document said.
RSL chief executive Phillip Bragg said in the past financial year Francis Drake lost about $300,000, while total losses since amalgamation were more than $1.67 million.
"I felt we did enough to promote the club," he said. "But the building is dilapidated and in need of a huge cash injection — and the return is just not there."
Mr Bragg confirmed plans for the site would include it being rezoned and sold.
Secretary of the bowling club, Pat Bugden, said the figures simply didn't add up.
"The administrator fails to highlight that Ramsgate gained the real estate worth then around $6 million and now could be worth between $12 million and $14 million," he said.
Mr Bugden said nothing was done to help promote Francis Drake.
"There was no operating bistro as promised under the agreement, trading hours were cut back and the 11 poker machines the club had were taken for use at Ramsgate," he said.
"We are hoping that the administrator will defer his decision to close the club and . . . honour the amalgamation agreement. If that is financially impossible, explain the reason for this to the members who should also be given the right to vote on any decision."
Club president Norm Harris said 100 members have been in mourning.
"It means a hell of a lot to us so the announcement was a total shock," he said. "It's like a big family and we're here pretty much every day except Mondays."
Mr Harris said membership had grown every year since the amalgamation and sharing the bowling greens at Ramsgate RSL, as suggested by the administrator, would not be viable.
A member who did not wish to be named said there was not much hope for the future.
"Older people are living longer so we need to provide recreational activities for them," he said.
"Bowling clubs provide this to us but where do they expect us to go now? Sit around playing on the poker machines all day?"
An information session was held for members on March 19.
What do you think of the decision to close Francis Drake Bowling Club?
