700 years on, the bowling club that still bans women
THE world’s oldest bowling club has been at the centre of a sexism row after it refused to lift a ban on women.
Chesterfield Bowling Club has had a men-only rule throughout its 700year history and a majority opposed a proposal to “move with the times”.
The genteel sport is not usually involved in controversy. But the decision has prompted one senior player to quit after two-thirds decided to keep the restriction in place.
The club has 50 male members but only a small number wanted to become more inclusive.
Now the former member, who does not want to be named, has lashed out at his ex-teammates.
Drowned
He said: “I suggested that women be allowed to come along and play but I got drowned out. I was always told it was a male-only club – that there should be no women involved.”
The club, he added, needs to let in female players to secure its future, claiming it is struggling financially.
It pays just £2,000 a year to Chesterfield Council for the lease of the site.
It is claimed this means council tax payers are subsidising an organisation with an openly discriminatory membership policy.
A Chesterfield Bowling Club spokesman insisted that it is selffinancing and no subsidies are received from the council or any other body. He said: “Discussions have also taken place about the prospect of accepting applications from female members.
“A recent vote has indicated that the membership would prefer to remain single-gender. Reported chauvinist attitudes within the club and the committee are denied.”
He added: “In recent years membership has declined and as a result efforts have been made to promote the club and attract more members of which efforts are continuing.”
The spokesman added that claims that the club was struggling financially were “not true”.
He said: “The Chesterfield Bowling Club is a private members club which has historically been a male-only club limited to 98 members together with two ex-officio members, the mayor and the chief constable.
“The club members enjoy the benefits of internal monthly and annual competitions, an annual dinner, a ladies’ night and traditionally supports the mayor’s charity each year.”
Chesterfield Council said the club is not subsidised by the council.
“It has a 20-year lease on land we own, for which they pay a commercial rate for land of this type and which is higher than all the other bowling greens we own,” it added.
“The club is responsible for its own maintenance costs.”