News – EASTBOURNE OPEN BOWLS TOURNAMENT

Thanks to a generous donation from local bowler John Morris, 2024 will see the return of the women’s singles at the Eastbourne Open.

Photo: Eileen Kellum (with partner John Kellum) from Westborough BC receive the runners-up award in the mixed pairs at the 2023 Eastbourne Open. Prizes presented by the Mayor of Eastbourne Cllr Candy Vaughan.

Sadly, this event stopped a few years ago because of declining entry numbers and the Tournament singles became open to women and men. We hope that the many keen women bowlers in Sussex and beyond put in an entry this year. The Eastbourne Open is a great opportunity to play in a well-organised, friendly, yet competitive tournament. Why not give it a go? We need 32 entrants to make a viable competition.

February 2024: 100 years ago when the Open started

What was happening 100 years ago when the Eastbourne Bowls Tournament began? 1924 saw Harold Abrahams win Olympic Gold in the 100m at the Paris Olympics; the Meteorological Office broadcast its first shipping forecast; and Ramsey McDonald became the first Labour Prime Minister.

Bowls was booming in 1924. Eastbourne had numerous clubs. Bowls was so popular that the new Eastbourne men’s league even petitioned the Council to change the law so public bowls greens could be open on Sundays. The names of some of those clubs evoke a different era when there were not only independent bowls clubs but also many big firms has their own social clubs. Bowling was the number one outdoor recreation for many. Some of the 1924 clubs in Eastbourne included

Cavendish Bowling Club Fishermen’s Bowls Club

Gas Company Bowls Club Parkside Bowls Club

Prudential Bowls Club Trades and Harbour Bowls Club

Working Men’s Bowls Club Eastbourne Bowls Club

Gildredge Park Bowls Club Hampden Park Bowls Club

Motcombe Gardens Bowls Club

Photo: Bowling on the seafront greens in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of Fred Titchener

As in many towns, as time went by, clubs amalgamated. Mixed clubs became the norm. Eastbourne still has seven outdoor clubs and two indoor clubs. Fred Titchener, a renowned author from Hampden Park Bowls Club, has written a fascinating history of the Eastbourne Men’s Bowling League 1922 to 2022 from which the above facts are taken.

January 2024: Ready to go

Photo: Tournament organiser Mike Taylor announcing the results at the 2023 prize-giving.

******************************************************************************

June 2020

Good morning all. Hope you are keeping safe and well. A brief update on bowls in Eastbourne. By the end of June most of the clubs will be open on a limited basis. Matches are still a distant dream but if things continue as they currently are we may see some ‘proper’ bowling before the summer is out. Whilst not yet ‘official’ Langham Hotel is opening (again on a restricted basis) and we hope you will support them if visiting the town ( coffees and cakes to the highest standard!). We remain highly optimistic that next years tournament – due to start on Sunday July 11th – will proceed. Further details will be posted in due course. All of this years entries will be honoured and amendments will be permitted. Take care, stay safe and we will see you again next summer.

Mike Taylor

EOBT Organiser

May 2020

I hope you are all keeping well and are managing to avoid COVID19 infection. A brief update regarding the Open. As you will be aware this year’s event has regrettably been cancelled. Entries will be rolled over to next year, by which time I hope this awful infection will be truly under control. All of the Eastbourne clubs are keen to see the resumption of bowls as soon as is safe. They are also keen to continue their support of the Open and this augers well for the future. Trophies and badges had been purchased for this year’s event and as I hope you can see – significant improvement has been made to the updated website. The sole sponsors for this and many prior years (Wendy and Neil Kirby – Langham Hotel) have had to reluctantly temporarily withdraw their financial support for the event – They have been tremendous supporters of the Open and many other local causes and I wish them every success once the situation improves and they are able to re-open the hotel. Despite this obvious setback and the losses incurred this year (c.£1100) I am pleased to report that sufficient funds are retained to enable the event to remain viable. Whilst the same competitions will be run (with the possible addition of Ladies Pairs – as yet not decided) it is inevitable the Prize Fund will be reduced. Again no final decision has been taken and once it has been I will of course inform you. May I state my personal thanks to you all for your messages of support at this difficult time. We may yet manage some bowls this summer but in any event, stay well and I look forward to seeing you all next summer. The date for the commencement of the Open next year will be Sunday 11^th July and I hope to have a Charity Drive on Saturday 10^th July on behalf of JPK Project (details to be confirmed).

Best Wishes

Mike Taylor (Organiser)

FEBRUARY NEWS

We hope you approve of our new style website, produced by Nina Allbut. We are delighted with it and particularly with the inclusion of on-line entry and payment. Entries for this year’s Tournament are now coming in and everyone is reminded that there are entry limits on the team competitions. The Mixed Triples in particular fills up quickly and early entry is advised to avoid disappointment.

We send our congratulations to Eastbourne BC (Tournament HQ this year) on the recent opening of their refurbished clubhouse – transforming the facility.

We are pleased to report that Wendy Dunne (an assistant last year to our Tournament GRUMPIRE Terry Boniface) has passed her Umpire exam and is now qualified in her own right. We look forward to her participation and assistance with this year’s event.

Hampden Park BC have kindly agreed to host a pre-tournament drive on behalf of our supported charity – the JPK Project (which supports individuals with learning difficulties) – on Saturday 11^th July commencing at 2.00pm. Entry is £5 per player (all of which goes to the Charity) and refreshments will be available – including a Bar! Entry to the drive is available to all –whether participating in the Tournament or not. If you wish to participate please confirm by email to eobt1923@btinternet.com confirming your name and preferred position – monies will be collected on the day.

FEEDBACK

We would like your feedback on the new look website. We also want to gauge the interest in the running of a Ladies Pairs competition in 2021. Please send your comments to eobt1923@btinternet.com

We hope you are all wintering well and look forward to renewing old acquaintances and making new ones in the summer.

Mike Taylor – Tournament Organiser

15 August 2019

The Tournament AGM

Notice is given that the 2019 Tournament Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 9^th September at Eastbourne BC (Saffrons Road) commencing 7.00pm. Any Agenda items are to be forwarded to: Mike Taylor, EOBT Secretary, 56 Willingdon Park Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 0BT to arrive no later than seven days prior to the Meeting.

Items to be discussed include:

Election of Officers

Report on this year’s event

Adoption of the Accounts

Amendments to Constitution and Rules

Appointment of Tournament Headquarters for 2021.

Mike Taylor

EOBT Organiser

February 2019

We are now receiving entries for this year’s event at an increasing rate. Anyone wishing to participate in the Mixed Triples is strongly advised to enter as soon as possible to avoid disappointment – over half of the entry limit have already been received for this competition.

Appeal for Information: Mike Taylor is currently putting together the history of the Mixed Pairs competition which formerly was a part of the Eastbourne Ladies Tournament. If anyone has copies of the Ladies Tournament programmes – particularly prior to 1970 – that they no longer want or are prepared to lend, Mike would be grateful if you could give him a call 07702244855 or 01323 505916.

September 2018 News

Annual General Meeting:

At the 2018 AGM of the Eastbourne Open Bowls Tournament, the following appointments were confirmed:

President: Vince Smith

Vice-President: Ron Putland

Organiser: Mike Taylor (Secretary/Entry Secretary/Treasurer)

Umpire: Terry Boniface

Ladies Representative: Vacant

Marketing Officer: Vacant

The event incurred an operating loss of (-£284.32p) for the year but retains sufficient funds to enable its continuance for at least two years.

Mens Singles winner prize will continue at £1,000

An additional competition will be included (Mixed Pairs) – entry restricted – competitions and prize fund reviewed annually dependent upon participation levels.

Rule 7 (Dress Code) was amended to allow the wearing of shorts in the semi-finals and finals.

2019 Headquarters will be Gildredge Park BC

2020 Headquarters will be Eastbourne BC

We continue to seek people to undertake the roles of Ladies Representative and Marketing Officer – contact Mike Taylor (mct50@hotmail.co.uk) if interested.

LATEST NEWS – June 2018

I start with an apology! The Tournament website suffered a few problems whilst I was attempting to download the Competitor List and Draw for the 2018 Tournament – due entirely to me being something of a techno-dinosaur. As some of you may be aware, our usual web guru, Tony Redshaw, has recently suffered heart problems and has been quite unwell – on behalf of the Tournament Committee, I wish him a full recovery. In his absence, sincere thanks are due to Dave Clements (Zest printing) who managed to get me out of an ever deepening hole and to Dave Jackson who has aided and abetted the recovery – not least by posting this message. The good news is that both the Competitor listings and the respective Competition draw details are now correctly displayed.

This year is marked by the absence of both the Bexhill and the Worthing Tournaments and this has resulted in the Men’s team competitions being oversubscribed. Whilst able to increase the number of Triples teams scheduled to play, it was impossible to accommodate later entries in the Men’s Pairs and also the Mixed Triples.

I am advised the Bexhill Tournament may run next year and wish their committee every success in that venture.

Whilst on the subject of Bexhill, I am deeply saddened to report the death of Colin Taylor – a well known and respected member of both their Committee and recently that of our Tournament – our sincere condolences go to his wife Chris, his family and friends.

On a happier note, Andrew Albon has started a Facebook Group for the Eastbourne Open Tournament and would be delighted if players and supporters joined. It is hoped this will provide an easier way of communicating current news regarding the event.

The Ladies events have remained poorly subscribed but it is the intention of the Committee to continue with them for another year, in the hope they can return to viability. It has also been decided to run an additional Mixed Pairs Competition next year – limited to 32 teams. Players will only be able to enter ONE Pairs competition i.e. Ladies/Men’s or Mixed. The Men’s Pairs will again be limited to 64 teams and the Ladies to 32 teams. The Men’s Triples will be increased to 64 teams and the Mixed Triples will remain at 32 teams.

We will review the position once entries close next year to determine the future of the respective events.

I am delighted to confirm that our long-term Sole Sponsors, Wendy and Neil Kirby (Langham Hotel) have agreed to once more dig deep into their pockets and support us on the 90th running of the Tournament – very sincere thanks are due to them!

For the Scutelliphilists among you (badge collectors to the rest of us!) I am pleased to announce the availability of a lapel badge commemorating this year’s event. There is very limited availability but it will be obtainable from Headquarters at a cost of £3.00 each.

Finally, we are conscious of the new legislation regarding data protection with which we MUST comply and urge all of our participants to take the time to read our data protection policy – found elsewhere on this website.

Mike Taylor

Tournament Organiser