Category: Covid-19 News

Dear Members
Last evening I received the following communication from the English Indoor Bowls Association. The following is an abbreviation that outlines how it will affect our club.

Dear EIBA Correspondent,

We have unfortunately not received any formal response to our queries relating to the restrictions to playing Indoor Bowls under the new 3 Tier System, starting on 2nd December 2020.

Therefore, as promised, please find attached a DRAFT Guidance that outlines what each Tier will mean for your club and members. The specific restrictions that we have requested more clarity on for the sport are highlighted in red along with what we have asked.

Tier Two – HIGH RISK 

For Clubs in an area of high risk there are changes required. 

Organised indoor bowls will only be permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). *

For supervised Under 18 and / or Disability specific bowls activities these are able to take place with larger group mixing e.g. Fours format. 

Club bars and restaurants can remain open between the hours of 5am to 11pm but are only allowed to have people from the same household / support bubble on a table. Alcohol is only permitted to be sold with a substantial meal. Last orders have to be at 10pm with guest leaving the venue by 11pm. 

*The EIBA is seeking clarity on what this actually will allow Indoor Bowls Clubs to provide.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW.

Yesterday morning our Management Committee met to discuss what should happen moving forward. It is unhelpful that the Government have not replied as yet to requests from the EIBA.

It is our intention to open in some capacity and as a minimum the conditions set out above. Indeed its pretty disgusting that crowds of up to 4000 people can attend a football match, yet we are not allowed to have up to 36 people bowling on our green.

Until we hear further from the EIBA whether arrangements can be more relaxed all booked rinks, leagues and competitions are temporarily suspended.

Please do not use the booking system until you are asked to do so.

We cannot stress enough that these prohibitive conditions are laid down by the Government and not us.

A provisional opening date of Monday 7th December has been set for reopening but we will confirm this no later than this Thursday, when we hope to have had a further update from the EIBA.

Finally we have been asked by some members how the club finances are doing during these unfortunate times. I can assure all members that the club is financially sound and this is thanks to those of you that paid their subscriptions in full whether you intended to come into the club or not.

Please take care, a vaccine is on the horizon and hopefully in a few months we can get back to some normality.

Best Regards

Dave Parks

Chairman

Guidance from EIBA (version 5) has been updated following recent Government changes and the club will implement the changes from Monday 31st August.

Face coverings

The Government on Friday 21st August 2020 made the wearing of a face covering mandatory in indoor sports stadiums. As a result, any person entering an indoor bowls club will need to wear a face covering at all times, until they leave the premises.

Once in the club individuals would only be permitted to remove the face covering for the following actions:

When on the rink bowling with 2 metres social distancing in place, due to partaking in exercise.

Due to a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability.

Lockers

Lockers will be made available to members but as social distancing of 2 metres will not always be achieved, bowlers need to:

Wear a face covering to provide a mitigating action to reduce transmission and will able to remove it once stepping on the rink ready to bowl and replacing it before stepping off the rink for any reason including at the end of the game.

Restaurant and bar areas

Face coverings are permitted to be removed when members are eating or drinking in designated seating areas.

Movement around the club

You must wear a face covering when using the toilet facilities and visiting the restaurant for rink teas, when you can remove it for eating and drinking.

Face coverings do not replace the need to social distance. Please maintain continued hand washing and sanitizing of hands.

We care about your safety and continually strive to maintain a safe environment for our members. We hope that you will support the changes made which will improve the service we provide.

Liz Parks,

Health and Safety Director

27th August 2020

Dear Members

We hope that you are keeping well.

We have received guidance from the English Indoor Bowls Association and endorsed by the Government as to how we can safely reopen our Bowls Club.

Our club will reopen on 3rd August for bowling. The restaurant and bar have opened this week (from 27^th July) mornings only, for drinks, snacks and light lunches and giving bowlers the opportunity to collect their bowls and buy rink tokens ready for their first game!

Please click here to thoroughly read  “Returning to Indoor Bowls” guidance.

We look forward to welcoming you back, we’ve missed you!

Kind Regards

Dave Parks

Chairman

We are pleased to advise you that we will be opening the Restaurant and Bar from Monday 27th July, but you must book a table using the new online booking system to gain entry to the Club. We are still not allowed to open the rinks for bowling until the guidelines from EIBA have been clarified.

We recently launched our new Online Booking system. This will enable Registered Club members to pre book a restaurant table or bar table from the comfort of your home so you can come in to the Club from 27th July.

So far we have had over 200 Log ins to the system.

During last week every Club Member for whom we have an email address on file will have received two emails from My Clubhouse advising them of their USER NAME and how to set their own PASSWORD. If you have not yet followed the instructions to log in please action this as soon as possible. If you have not seen these emails check your inbox and spam folder and email the Club at email hidden; JavaScript is required.  if you can’t find them. We encourage Members to book a table and come to the Club to see the changes we’ve made to make it Covid 19 secure.

Our policy going forward will be that all purchases will be made by debit or credit card only to remove the risk of infection when handling cash. We will also be selling batches of tokens which must be used for rink fee payments when bowling restarts. This is to minimise delays. Once used the tokens will be stored for 3 days before being put on sale again

Thank you for your support and patience during this transitional period. We are working hard to make the return to bowling as safe, easy and as enjoyable as we can.

Best wishes

Derek Spiller

Dear Members,

Due to the Government directive announcement on the 16th March and after a meeting of Management Committee this afternoon (18th March), it has been agreed that regrettably Eastbourne & District Indoor Bowls Club is closed with immediate effect.

We have taken this action to safeguard the health of our members, staff and the wider community. We will constantly review this decision and keep everyone informed of any reopening as soon as possible.

Anybody wishing to collect their bowls equipment may do so tomorrow and Friday between the hours of 10am-4.30pm. If this is not suitable you may ring the club to arrange an appointment.

A further newsletter will follow.

Keep safe and with best wishes
Naomi
Centre Manager

Dear Members

Following the Government guidelines given out yesterday, we are now implementing the requirement that members must NOT COME INTO THE CLUB and self- isolate for 7 days if either/both of the following conditions apply:

IF YOU HAVE A NEW PERSISTENT COUGH OR A FEVER/TEMPERATURE

If after 7 days you still feel unwell please contact 111 or go to the NHS website

We continue to follow the E.I.B.A guidelines and advise you to:

Wash your hand regularly

Use Alcohol-based hand sanitisers

Cough or sneeze into tissues which are then binned (please don’t leave tissues on restaurant tables/plates) or sneeze into your sleeve

Don’t touch your face unless you have washed your hands

Self-isolate if you are suffering from the above symptoms or have been to high risk areas.

Your health and wellbeing is paramount to us, if you are bringing visitors to the club it is imperative that you sign them in and that the member’s name is clearly written.

Best regards

Dave Parks

Chairman