Port St Mary’s Bowling Club is set to be disbanded at the end of the current season due to a lack of playing facilities.

The club has been plying its trade at Breagle Glen in Port Erin since its lease expired on land next to Port St Mary Railway Station in 2019.

Unable to find a new home and playing facilities, the club - which was formed in 1921 and is 113 years old - is now set to become defunct at the end of the current bowls season in September.

A lack of funds has proved to be an issue in the club’s search for new playing facilities, despite two sites being identified for potential development.

The first of these sites was on the other side of the railway line in the village, directly behind the Station Pub.

The site was proposed to have a new 40 by 40 metre green and clubhouse as well as a car park.

The pavillion/club house was also set to include a ‘multipurpose space’, which could serve as both a meeting venue and a place where games of indoor short mat bowls can be played.

The planning application, which was submitted by Port St Mary Commissioners, also included a locker room, an equipment room and an exterior veranda with room for 36 spectators.

However, the application never progressed and was dismissed due to a disagreement with the landlord of the Station Pub.

A spokesperson from the Bowling Club commented: ‘The vehicle access to the proposed site would have had to go through the car park of the Station Pub, which at the time the landlady was in favour of.

‘However, after the plans were submitted for approval, the landlady objected to the plans. With no other feasible access route to the site, the plans were scrapped.’

Following the disappointment of the failed plans in Port St Mary, a new site in Colby was then earmarked for development, but this was also unable to be progressed due to a lack of funds.

The spokesperson continued: ‘We found and agreed a deal to buy some land adjacent to the Colby Football Club car park, but unfortunately the funds were not in place to go ahead with the project.

‘No resolution for a new site can go ahead now without a large donation.’

The spokesperson for the club added that eight MHK’s were notified when the club was given notice to leave the site, but after some initial interest, they were ‘no help at all’.

When asked for comment, Rushen MHK Juan Watterson said: ‘I recall a busy public meeting in the Town Hall where I encouraged the Commissioners to compulsory purchase the site. I was certainly happy to take that to Tynwald, and it’s a shame that didn’t pan out.

‘Last I heard, a keen bowling family had hoped to resite the facility on their land, but that was some time ago.

‘There’s also croquet, chess and other things in Port St Mary, [not just bowling and golf].’

The spokesperson for the club added that they are currently in talks with another local bowling club regarding the possibility of merging together, but that these talks are at an early stage and ‘might not amount to anything’.