Loos prove to be a winner

Photo: Darren Robinson

Dunwood Park (in Shaw) cafe toilets are out of order due to a drainage problem. This affects the bowling teams that are based there. PIC shows temporary toilet facilty (clubhouse in distance).

CROWN green bowling will go ahead on schedule tomorrow despite drainage problems which threatened to scupper the start of the new season at a Shaw club.

Oldham Council has had to install temporary portable loos at Dunwood Park Bowling Club with the toilets at the park out of action for several weeks.

Members of the various teams who play at the club in Smallbrook Road can now start the fresh campaign tomorrow, when the women’s team play Delph.

Helen Lockwood, Oldham Council’s executive director for economy, skills and neighbourhoods, said: “The council toilets at Dunwood Park have been temporarily closed due to drainage problems. Portable toilets have been introduced and will remain in place while we resolve the issues.

“The owner of the newly-leased community cafe at the park’s McGrother building has also kindly offered bowling club members use of their facilities.”

Edith White, who has been bowling at the park for 28 years, said: “I’m pleased. We were told the council couldn’t afford to do that.”

During the daytime, the players have been able to use the toilets in the newly-opened Cafe Mandels. But in the evenings, when the cafe is shut, there are no available facilities.

Malcolm Percival, chair of Dunwood Park Bowling Club, said Oldham Council could not confirm how long the repairs would take.

He said: “We have to provide toilet facilities at all times and refreshments at all times. The refreshments are not a problem but we have to offer toilet facilities for both home and away teams. It has become an embarrassment. We’re quite delighted with the state of the park. It has been restored very well.

“It’s just unfortunate that the drainage has been a problem at the start of the season.”

The park has a Green Flag status after receiving just over £1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £270,000 from Oldham Council in 2010 for its restoration.