Beachside bowling alley back from the ‘dead’

An iconic bowling alley has come out the other side of the toughest period in its 40-year history and will reopen in coming days.

Suncity bowling at Alex Heads has survived the biggest hurdle in its 40-year history and will reopen on the weekend after more than two months. Owner John Griffin is thrilled to have customers coming back.

AN ICONIC beachside bowling alley has come out the other side of the toughest period in its 40-year history and will reopen in coming days.

Suncity Bowl in Alexandra Headland, which first opened in 1979, was one of hundreds of Coast businesses hit hard by the global pandemic.

Owner John Griffin said the alley was "cut off at the knees" and closed for more than two months.

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"We bowled the week leading up to March 23, then bang, dead shut," Mr Griffin said.

Except for a few days in the 1980s when the power was cut off, he said the business had never been forced to withstand anything quite like the coronavirus crisis.

"Without a doubt it has been the worst, not just us, it has been sad for everyone," he said.

He said hundreds of bookings through school camps had been lost.

On Saturday, Suncity Bowl will reopen at close to its peak potential.

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"With the four square metre rule we can fit 100 in but we will operate with about 70 people and watch numbers, just to get the space right with the lanes and overruns of people," Mr Griffin said

"It's not easy when you are cleaning benches every hour - it will be a challenge."

Mr Griffin said he was hopeful the centre would still be able to host the state titles in October. They were due to be staged in March but were a casualty of COVID-19.

Power cuts homes, but no rain damage

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