Strouden Park BC: 1930's-1950's

B&DBA: A History of Current & Bygone Bowling Clubs

It is unclear exactly when Strouden Park Bowling Club was formed, and little is documented about its existence. It was located next to the magnificent Strouden Park Hotel, which was built and opened in 1932, so it’s possible the green commenced from that date too.

In 1938, the Association’s Management Committee considered an application from Strouden Park Bowling Club to join the B&DBA. The offer was regretfully declined, however, due to a number of members being Council-employed professional groundsmen. This contravened EBA Rule 14, which prohibited clubs that were not wholly amateur from being affiliated.

Having never actually joined the B&DBA in the three decades they were active, the club disbanded in the late 1950’s, with most of its members joining the nearby Bournemouth Electric club.

Shortly afterwards, the site was sold off for housing, creating Brendon Close. Remarkably, the close was short lived, and in 2001 was bulldozed, along with the hotel to make way for the modern shops that are at the location today, all within the Castlepoint Shopping Centre umbrella. At the time, one of the conditions of the hotel closing was that it would be rebuilt in a new location - something which over 20 years later seems to have been long forgotten, just like the bowling club.