2002   Percy Snow Members Club

 

The combined management committee, comprising both MBC and NLBC committees but also with the elected officers of the Percy Snow Members Club managed the club during 2002. The existing Company Secretary and three Directors made known they would continue to remain as a Board until the Company was dissolved. However there were significant difficulties due to a lack of communication from the Directors. The proposed dissolution of the Company was delayed due apparent mismanagement by the Company Secretary and the absence of a Company Treasurer. This resulted in non-payment of direct debits with consequent fines and court action. The PSC Treasurer determined significant shortfall of income required to manage the green and carry out essential refurbishment of facilities.

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The new MBC/NLBC Press Officer (ex MBC Secretary) published a newsletter in January including the following:

- the sale of land was used for two houses at the rear of the club-house but date unknown and cannot confirm where sale proceeds have been used;

- previous belief "PSC would be Pheonix arising from ashes” now proves there are no “ashes” from which the Pheonix could rise!!;

- need to survive from vagaries of competition from other clubs;

- need to modernise amenities and infrastructure;

 - propose Building Fund £5 per member pa to produce £5,000 working capital to support Lottery application – applied for but refused, probably because of Ltd Company status; amalgamation is hopefully the answer to apply again for a Lottery grant.

 

In March, MBC Ltd advised further delay to winding up because the Liquidator was assessing potential Capital Gain Tax (CGT). The 2002 estimated value of the site is £58,000 against an original £25,000 that might realise a significant CGT of several thousand pounds.  Negotiation in hand with IRS to waive CGT but no idea when it will be sorted.  To avoid PAYE & insurance, it was suggested the Greenkeeper should be self-employed but this was not agreed by him.

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The Percy Snow Chairman was invited to a Board meeting in April but walked out in disgust because of frustration at the lack of movement on the shareholders meeting and no idea when this would be held. This caused him to resign his position as PSC Chairman and also from the combined management committee. A replacement Chairman was appointed.

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In 2003 due to dwindling membership and consequent diminishing revenue, proposals were agreed to wind up the Margate Bowling Club Limited Company. Margate Bowling Club Limited held its last Shareholders meeting in 2005 to wind-up the Company and annul all company shares.

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2004  Attempt to sell off the Club site for housing

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During 2003, the Percy Snow Club Treasurer advised the Percy Snow Club officers of serious financial difficulties and cash flow problems expected in the near future. He anticipated significant short-fall of income resulting from diminishing membership as well as need for considerable expenditure on the club estate to carry on trading.

 

The PSC officers sought advice from an MBC member who produced a strategy document “The Way Forward” outlining continuing financial problems and the need to find alternative ways of raising money. This was a “secret” document and not shared with the MBC/NLBC committee or anyone else.

The MBC member concerned was apparently appointed as an unofficial consultant to discuss options with various outside bodies. It is understood he had connections with the Thanet District Council as well as the Thanet Indoor Bowls Club Ltd. who were the “owners” of Cliftonville Bowls Club. They jointly developed a strategy to sell off the Margate Bowling Club to a property developer and use the proceeds to establish a centre of bowling excellence at the St Georges Lawn site. This was published on the TDC Sports Development web-site but initially restricted.

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It is not clear how much the Percy Snow officers were aware but it seems, the “unofficial consultant” instructed another development consultant to draft and submit an outline planning application to change the site classification from “sports & leisure” to a residential site. The planning application included development of two buildings with seventeen 2/3 bedroom apartments plus car parking to the rear on the club bowling green.

 

The first time any MBC/NLBC members knew of this scheme was when read on the obligatory planning notices of intent posted outside the Club. This infuriated Club members and also the Club’s neighbours who were violently opposed to the development of additional housing on the site. The MBC/NLBC Secretary immediately raised an objection and arranged a delegation of members to attend a meeting with the TDC Sports Development manager to express their anger at not being previously consulted.

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The “unofficial consultant” was asked to explain and it seems he had apparently been away on holiday so the development consultant was misinformed and had acted on his own in submitting the planning application. Fortunately Sport England also raised formal objection so the planning application was never agreed. However it took several years to delete the planning application and strategy documents from the TDC web-sites.

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This misguided attempt to apply for planning permission to redevelop the site for residential accommodation upset the Club’s neighbours and caused a lot of problems within the Club, resulting in a considerable loss of membership. The planning application was withdrawn in 2005 but significant expenditure was already incurred for development "consultants" and legal fees. This reduced the Club’s finances and over the next few years the accounts have shown an annual loss in operating income over expenditure.

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Margate Bowling Club Limited was eventually dissolved on 28 Jun 2005. The organisation's status is listed as "Dissolved" and it had 3 directors at the time it closed. Margate Bowling Club Limited did not have any subsidiaries. This to be replaced by the formation of a non-profit making private members sports club, named the Percy Snow Members Club, incorporating Margate Bowling Club and Northdown Ladies’ Bowling Club.

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