Bid to save former West End bowling green for community use

Jordanhill Bowling Club on Randolph Street closed for the final time in September 2021, sparking questions about the future of the site.

Former bowling greens across Glasgow - the clubs often closing because of a lack of new members - have generated interested from developers, eager to take over the sites and construct new housing.

Broomhill Community Council launched the campaign in response to fears that similar plans could be developed for the Jordanhill site.

The group are looking at setting up a special organisation which would purchase the land from the club’s trustees and using it for various purposes to benefit local residents.

Trustees of the club, who are looking to sell the land, have now decided to organise a meeting with the community council to take matters forward.

“We feel it is a valuable public amenity and we would hate to see it lost for our community,” said Hector Rufrancos, secretary of Broomhill Community Council.

“I think green space is important in the city. It’s a focal point in Broomhill and it’s important to save this sort of space in the community.”

The online consultation has already had more than 350 submissions, as people share their ideas for the future of the land.

There are also plans for a public meeting to discuss ideas further.

Once the consultation phase has been completed, the group would sift through the ideas and work out which ones would be financially viable.

Mr Refrancos said the group had discussed the possibility of teaming up with the University of Strathclyde to provide further education training.

Other ideas included setting up a tool library, where locals can rent out tools rather than having to purchase them, or a community workshop - like a men’s shed, but open to all.

Find out more about the plans on the Broomhill Community Council website.