The final strike - Cotswold Bowl closes down
The final strike was had in Cheltenham last night as the lights were turned off forever at Cotswold Bowl.
The town’s only tenpin bowling alley closed yesterday after 15 years of business.
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Closing down - Cotswold Bowl
More than 10 leagues ran at the site in Swindon Lane, while it played host to countless charity events.
A team of retired GCHQ workers also played there.
Clubs which used the 24-lane alley said they would be forced to fold or find another base.
League members travelled from Tewkesbury, Worcester and Newent and bowling at the site was a regular social event for many older people.
Cheltenham Mayor Lloyd Surgenor, who played at Cotswold Bowl for a Rotary Club fundraiser in October, said: “It is a great shame for people of all ages. This will be a loss of one of our leisure facilities.”
Bowling fans will now have to travel to Gloucester or Stroud for their closest alleys.
What are your fond memories of Cotswold Bowl? Did you have a great birthday there or was it your regular going out venue for years? Let us know using the story comment facility below.
22 Comments
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by fatpants, cheltenham
Saturday, February 27 2010, 1:26AM
“its all very well everyone having a go at the council,
YOU VOTED FOR THEM !
what we all need to do is get onto your selected counciler and find out what there plans for leisure are, if they dont have one, vote for someone else.
As for asda coming to cheltenham, what a refreshing change !”
by Dave, gloucester
Wednesday, February 24 2010, 11:00AM
“I think its a great shame and a real loss for the town . It is a lot cheaper to bowl there compared to Ten pin 10 in Gloucester .”
by disgruntled, cheltenham
Tuesday, February 23 2010, 7:30AM
“Well another one bites the dust.The council have the answer to this.Its simple.With the taxpayers money they should buy it , and operate it.How hard is this? Something the town will appreciate.Instead the council have wasted millions and millions of our money.Noddy train,silly statues,laird gate affair, icelandic banks,not gritting paths when again we pay for the service, need i go on.The council are a joke, do something useful, make redundancies, from high up, to save more of our money and if you want the town back on the councils side, buy the bowling business and keep it going for the town.After all its a sport, and we are being preached at to get fitter!!”
by Flying Scotsman, Cheltenham
Monday, February 22 2010, 11:31PM
“Just hope the trainspotters club don't close next or there will be no reason to live in Cheltenham.”
by John Stevens, Cheltenham
Monday, February 22 2010, 10:41PM
“People have asked why is all the investment going to Gloucester, well the reason is simple, this town is full of NIMBYS who don't want to change don't want to move forward. Just read this paper and its oppinion column.
If I were an investor, would I want all the bother, remember M&S row when the wanted to move into an empty store on the Tewkesbury Rd or Toys 'R' Us, refused on some little law the council dug up that no other town or city takes any notice of.
Remember the Ciniworld sign the coucil made a fuss of, or all the silly people saying that the stores on Tewkesbury Rd looked like Las Vagas, when will the council and people of this town get real.
I remember the council of the 60s 70s and 80s let the two in door shopping centres be built and let Tesco come to Colletts Drive. We had pop concerts in the Prom. Now look at our MP and Council, how sad.”
by Bemused, Stroud
Monday, February 22 2010, 10:04PM
“Strange world isn't it? We used to have to go to Cheltenham for bowling , but we now have our own ten pin bowling in Stroud and you will have to come to use ours or Gloucesters.Strange, how times change.”
by Dad, Cheltenham
Monday, February 22 2010, 9:57PM
“Often took my 12-yr old there for a weekend treat. We were there just last Saturday morning. It's a crying shame this is going. And as for the parking - loads of room. Somebody's got their head screwed on sideways.”
by Local, cheltenham
Monday, February 22 2010, 9:48PM
“Never mind - we now have Cage Fighting instead of 10 Pin Bowling! Totally agree with Rob of Springbank about the new developments etc. Whatever happened to Cheltenham? We now have well above the national average of violence against the person (see Upmystreet for statistics) and we are having tents to treat the drunks in the streets. How very sad that this is what Cheltenham has become.”
by John stevens, Cheltenham
Monday, February 22 2010, 9:41PM
“Looking at the site, if it is to be redeveloped (as the reason given at the time) then Topps tiles will have to go too? as its all part of one big building.
Wonder what they will put on the site, we shall have to wait and see.”
by skittler, city
Monday, February 22 2010, 9:01PM
“looks like skittles too no youngsters alleys, clubs shutting down and by no least the sticker is a rare find”