Bowls England set to move closer to the sport’s home at Leamington's Victoria Park

Bowls England is set to move much closer to the sport’s home by relocating its offices to Victoria Park in Leamington.

The governing body currently operates from Warwick District Council’s offices at Riverhouse House, Milverton Hill, Leamington, but the authority is in process of vacating the site to sell it for development.

Victoria Park hosts national championships and international and test matches and the council-owned pavilion on site, currently used to store leisure equipment, is described as “largely underutilised”.

The district council’s planning committee last week unanimously granted permission to change the use of the top floor so it can be converted into office space.

No objections were received but the call had to be rubber stamped by councillors as the council was making the application for one of its own sites.

The report highlighted the importance of bowls to the local economy with a review of the inaugural championships held in Leamington estimating that it brought 30,000 people and some £1.7 million to the area.

The only concern raised was over parking but it is estimated that number of spaces required will only grow by two with the report adding that Bowls England plan to continue to park on Adelaide Road, described as “easily accessible” and “a short walk away”.

Councillor Bill Gifford led support for the proposal. He said: “It is taking a very underutilised building and putting it to good use.

“It is an appropriate use given that it is in a public park, one that has bowling greens in it and this is for Bowls England.”

“I take the point about parking but the car parking has been dramatically improved in that area since the pavilion was originally built.”