Burwood Colliery Bowling Club closes

But the Burwood Colliery Bowling Club has been struggling for years just to keep its head above water. 

The club announced via its Facebook page on Tuesday that it would be ceasing business, citing ‘‘financial difficulties and lack of patronage’’. 

The once popular Whitebridge club, which was established in 1950, had gotten itself into a hole too big to climb out of.

The decision has left a handful of bar staff out of a job and a number of bowlers and social drinkers without a club. 

After a few years of financial instability, the club went into voluntary administration in August last year. They later managed to lift themselves out of administration only by signing a deed of company arrangement, which required full payment of creditors. 

But despite ‘‘Save the Burwood’’ fundraiser events and benefit concerts the club couldn’t raise the cash. And with winter setting in, traditionally the toughest time for trading, the decision was made to close for good.  

‘‘It is sad to announce that Burwood Colliery Sports Club has ceased business,’’ the Facebook post read. 

‘‘With the financial difficulties and lack of patronage the recent board of directors couldn’t revive the club. 

‘‘Even with the current highly regarded finance committee. 

‘‘We would like to thank all the loyal members that showed their support for the club. 

‘‘It’s a very sad day and the end of another great club.

The Newcastle Herald attempted to contact board members on Tuesday, but those calls went unanswered. 

A spokesman for Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants confirmed the club had closed. It was unclear on Tuesday night if those who have booked functions or weddings at the club had been given the bad news.   

A source close to the situation told the Herald the club had traded at a loss for the last three of four years. 

‘‘The hole was too big to dig out of,’’ the source said. ‘‘We got all sorts of surprises going through the finances, you think you are on top of things and it continually turns out to not be the case. ‘‘Winter is the toughest time from a trading point of view and it just means it was going to be even harder to keep their head above water. ‘‘The size of the hole didn’t give them that breathing space. ‘‘It’s a bloody shame, its a great location and a great community.

‘‘We will have to watch now as the weeds grow through the place and the building rots away.’’

It’s believed the club had been granted a six month period to pay the outstanding accounts, with a possible three month extension. ‘‘The club applied for the extension of a further three months based on the hope that it would achieve some performance improvements,’’ the source said. ‘‘But the club was not successful with that and told the administrator to take control back of the club.

Some of the criticisms of the club was that it didn’t market itself appropriately and didn’t take full advantage of its spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. The eastern side of the club was reserved for the amenities and bowling club change room and the bistro overlooked the bowling green and not the coast.