Club History
East Bridgford Bowls Club (EBBC) was formed after a public meeting in 1971. The green was laid on parish council land adjacent to Butt Close, often called Butt Field, named such since it was an area for archery practice when that was a requirement. This was a Nottinghamshire County Council owned area of playing fields for the local primary school, St. Peter’s, and community sports teams, cricket in the summer and football in the winter.
In the late 1980’s, a wooden cricket pavilion on Butt Close was replaced by a new brick-built pavilion on the same parish council land as the green, with the main frontage on to Butt Close. This provided modern changing rooms for the bowls club, and the whole building is now managed by an 'umbrella' organization, East Bridgford Sports Club (EBSC). The tennis club also built 3 tennis courts to the side and rear, and moved from their grass courts elsewhere in the village. Hence, EBSC now comprises four sports, bowls, cricket, football and tennis, and their tenure is secured by long leases with the parish council.
The pavilion was badly damaged by fire during preparation for a village show in June 2015, badly affecting provision. Following reinstatement, it reopened in time for the 2016 season, having also been renovated in some key areas. It was then extended in 2018-19 with the aid of grants and some funding by the bowls and tennis clubs to provide a further clubroom and kitchen with large glass sliding doors on each side, providing excellent visibility towards the bowls green and the tennis courts.
Finally, Butt Close itself was bought by the parish council from Nottinghamshire County Council, so the whole site is now in the ownership of the parish council, to which EBBC and EBSC continue to be grateful for their generous ongoing support.