FRANCIS Drake Bowling Club's dream of getting back onto their own greens at Monterey won't happen in the near future.
But the club's bowls secretary Pat Bugden said they won't give up on their ambition to "get back home".
Bugden said they "got a fair hearing" at Ramsgate RSL Club's annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday night.
Francis Drake bowlers lodged a petition requesting they be able to return to play at their Monterey club.
In the deal with Ramsgate RSL that was struck under the amalgamation agreement in 2007 which continues until 2017, the bowlers could play at Francis Drake but in March this year, the Ramsgate administrator closed the club, with members playing lawn bowls at Ramsgate RSL every Thursday.
"There was a big attendance at the AGM, about 280, which is more than normal, so obviously the extras didn't help our cause," Bugden said.
"We got 169 votes for our petition and a resolution wanting to return to our club to play bowls, or a little over 60 per cent which is a fair way short of the 75 per cent we needed.
"But we can't complain about the way the meeting was held by the administrator as he gave us a fair go.
"Although, we were unsuccessful, I believe we have made this a important issue which still has a life, particularly under a new board of directors."
Bugden said seven new directors have been elected to Ramsgate RSL and they were announced at the end of the AGM.
"The staus quo remains as Francis Drake bowlers will be permitted to play at Ramsgate RSL every Thursday at least until the end of this year, even though the administrator had clearly promised that we could play at Ramsgate as Francis Drake for the three years remaining under our agreement," Bugden said.
He said the club's No. 4 pennants team will proudly represent Francis Drake this weekend at the state titles at Ettalong on the NSW Central Coast.
