Balmain Bowlo: St Johns Park Bowling Club CEO confirms future of venue

The future of an inner west institution, Balmain Bowling Club, is looking bright with a reopening just months away despite recent speculation of its impending demise.

The CEO of a beloved Sydney bowling club has put to bed fears about the venue’s future, saying it will re-open in coming months despite recent struggles.

Social media channels were abuzz with speculation surrounding the continued closure of Balmain Bowling Club, sparked by a recent liquidator notice.

The club has been shut since last June, firstly due to the Covid pandemic and then subsequently due to “external factors”.

These include the lingering effects of lockdowns on the club – and the corresponding restrictions – the “current model of operation”, the ability to source staff, the company’s desire to improve the premises’ safety, and what it described as “ongoing council restrictions in reference to our trading operation”.

These include a cap of people out on the outside deck and noise restrictions across the day.

Balmain Bowling Club has remained close since June 2021, but is set to re-open in October.

In July 2020, Balmain Bowling Club amalgamated with St Johns Park Bowling Club, who now run the site. St Johns Park Bowling Club group CEO David Marsh went to lengths to reassure the community the venue would be up and running soon.

“The process of amalgamation is sometimes complicated and can take a considerable amount of time,” he said.

“The club will be reopening on October 1 under restricted trading hours – St Johns Park Bowling Club Group is committed to our amalgamation partnership with the Balmain Bowling Club and all relevant stakeholders.”

The members of the two clubs – now one entity – signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2020 that would see St Johns commit $6 million to the Balmain club over a ten-year period, of which it is now into its third year.

Artwork inside Balmain Bowling Club.

The finances of the currently closed and once struggling club were laid bare by Mr Marsh, who said that the 2020/21 financial year saw the Balmain site – in part due to Covid – record a loss of around $700,000.

Mr Marsh will meet with Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne later this month to discuss the reopening of the club and the strategy going forward. He also said they were exploring ways to improve the site, but bowling would remain at its heart.

“The club will be reopening with lawn bowls being an important and traditional strategy of our operation moving forward,” he said.

“Future renovation opportunities for the club are also currently being investigated.”

Competitors at Balmain Bowling Club back in 2020. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The mayor said in a post on social media he was “determined to get the doors to Australia’s oldest bowlo back open”, and that a notice from liquidators confirming the winding up of Balmain Bowling Club was just the final stage of the amalgamation process.

“We must make sure that this beautiful asset, in the heart of Balmain, serves our community for many decades to come,” the mayor said.

Mr Marsh said the winding-up notice could be misinterpreted and it was just a final handover of the previous corporate body into the new one as he looked to dispel fears about the future of the club.

“I understand the frustration and concerns of residents,” Mr Marsh said. “But I can’t buy trust, we’re going to have to earn it.”