A Barnard Castle bowler’s lasting legacy to his club is to be unveiled this weekend.
Eddie Finlay left money to Barnard Castle Bowls Club four years ago after years as a member and now the club is ready to name its new pavilion after him.
It represents an upgrading of facilities at the historic club based at the greens in the grounds of The Bowes Museum.
Eddie’s brother John, another former Barney bowler, will be on hand for the opening ceremony on Saturday, April 11.
“It’s going to be a big addition to the club,” said president John Tallentire.
“Our original clubhouse was built in 1909 and we’ve outgrown it. It’s a Grade II-listed building, we can’t extend it, and we can’t have disabled access.”
The new pavilion means the club can offer visiting teams their own changing rooms, bringing it in line with every other club that plays against Barney.
It also provides better facilities for the club’s own members and will be used up to four times a week during the season by Barnard Castle’s men’s and women’s teams.
Building the new pavilion was, at times, a tortuous affair.
Over the four years since receiving Mr Finlay’s legacy, the club had to grapple with a lack of enthusiasm on behalf of the museum’s previous trustees before going through the planning process.
“It was a four-year struggle, but there was a change of management at the museum,” added Mr Tallentire.
“They got on board with our dream and helped to turn it into a reality.
“And we had grants from Sport England and the National Lottery Community Fund, so it’s a big thank you to everyone who buys lottery tickets.
“If it wasn’t for them, a lot of grassroots sport would be in trouble.”
Barnard Castle Bowls Club has about 70 members – a healthy figure – and is proud of the role it plays in the community, encouraging people to stay active.
“We’ve always attracted the older generation and our target audience for new recruits is usually among people in their 50s who have maybe stopped the sport they were involved with but still want something competitive,” Mr Tallentire added.
