Bowled over with brand new home
Club refurbishment is complete
North Inch members are bowled over with their brand new facilities set to open this month.
Since late November 2020, North Inch Bowling and Sports Club has been renovating and extending its historic clubhouse to include a hall for the use of the wider community.
The brand new building has been largely built and funded by club members and is set to open on Saturday, May 22.
So if St Johnstone FC do the incredible - by reaching the Scottish Cup Final and achieving the cup double - there could be cause for a double celebration in the Fair City that day.
It is hoped the hall will be used by local groups to host activities such as indoor carpet bowls, dancing, Spanish classes, floral art classes, arts and crafts groups and yoga to name just a few.
Groups such as Perth Petanque Club, Perth and Kinross Visually Impaired
Bowling Club and Perth Ladies Golf Club already use the clubhouse and members are keen to attract more groups and residents to use their facilities.
The club’s funding assistant Dave Whittet said: “We can hire out facilities and really want the general public wanting to use it.
“It is open to the public to book and rent.”
Secretary James Kellie told the PA members will now be able to play all year round.
He said: “We used to shut from September to April but now we have an all-year-round facility.”
Members will be able to play indoor carpet bowls and central heating has been installed in both the clubhouse and the new building.
Further renovations to the clubhouse include additional toilets, carpeting and refurbishment of the locker and storage areas.
The new hall has been fitted with £4000 solar panels as part of a building requirement and while the bulk of the work has been done by members, expertise has been called upon as and when required.
The clubhouse - which has been around for over 100 years - sits on Common Good land and has a lease agreement with Perth and Kinross Council which lasts until 2070.
Last week councillors on the Perth Common Good Fund committee agreed to award a contribution of £17,000 towards the overall costs.
The total build is expected to cost just shy of £100,000 and the club has raised all the funds.
Club secretary James Kellie said: “We will have no mortgage and no debt. It is 100 per cent owned by us on Common Good land.”
The club got £10,000 from the National Lottery, £1000 from the Robertson Trust and has received generous donations from members, locals and through the GoFundMe website.
The club expressed its thanks to everyone who has contributed both financially and in terms of hard graft.