Bowlers' tears as club shuts in owner row

ELDERLY bowlers were left in tears after discovering that their clubhouse had been boarded up over a legal wrangle about who actually owns it.

Bowling enthusiasts at Ormiston Bowling Club in East Lothian say the club and green is owned by the community after a deal struck back in 2002.

But publicans Rick Ross and Lindsay Boyle say they are the rightful key-holders and have had an eviction notice served on themselves in order to finally bring the nine-year-long legal dispute to an end.

It means the club members have been locked out – with thousands of pounds worth of their equipment still inside.

Ormiston Bowling Club president Stewart Johnston said: "This whole thing absolutely stinks. We got no notice whatsoever that this was happening.

"A lot of our members, who are up to 80 years old, were in tears because we have had no sound explanation from Mr Ross."

The 50-strong team of pensioners will now take the club's owners to court.

Mr Ross said: "I found out alcohol was being sold on the premises without a licence or my say-so and that's why I did what I did."