Half of the council-run crown bowling greens in Leeds under plans to save nearly £275m over five years.
Leeds City Council spends £350,000 a year maintaining 61 greens across 47 sites and has proposed two options to cut costs.
The first involves closing 30 greens, which it said would save £140,000 annually from 2025-26, while the second option would see all greens remain open but would mean a ‘significant’ rise in season ticket prices for players.
The city council said that if the closure plans went ahead, Leeds would still have more council-run crown green bowling sites than cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham.
It also said demand for the sites had fallen by 39% since 2014, with three-quarters of its greens having fewer than 30 members.
But it recognised that the pastime could make a ‘valuable contribution to many people’s mental and physical health’.
The council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, Mohammed Rafique, said: ‘In common with other councils across the country, Leeds is facing a financial challenge that continues to impact the services it is able to provide.
‘The proposals for our crown green bowling sites reflect both the seriousness of the situation and the need to explore every possible option that will help us balance our budget.’
A decision will be made following a consultation that runs until 26 January.
