THE Bowl is set to get a major makeover and a new name. Guernsey’s second-largest indoor leisure and entertainment facility after Beau Sejour will close tomorrow night for an extensive internal facelift.

When it reopens in mid-November it will be known as The Island Bowl Guernsey.

‘We are closing for the refurbishment of the whole venue,’ said general manager Gavin Farmer, who is also managing director of current owner, Paperchase Ltd.

The prospective new owner is the umbrella company of Stanhope House Leisure, based in Burton-on-Trent.

The company already runs bowling centres in Burton and Chesterfield.

‘We were looking for other opportunities and recognised this as a very good opportunity for the game of tenpin and as a business opportunity,’ said Harry O’Neill, who will be the general manager, with his wife, Hazel, as deputy when it reopens.

‘Negotiations are progressing very well. I have met a lot of the people who use the centre and bowl regularly and they are looking forward to the redevelopment and the opening.’

Meetings are due to be held with architects and States’ officials this week about what the prospective new owner can do and the timeframe for the work.

‘If we are open by mid-November we would be very happy,’ said Mr O’Neill.

‘It will be a facelift and freshening up. We are going to build it up to UK standards in terms of equipment and quality events including tournaments and events.

‘We want to make it an entertainment centre primarily for the locals but also for tourists.’

It is planned to install a new state-of-the-art scoring system and 18 new bowling lanes.

‘The catering and bar facilities are very good already and it’s just a question of upgrading them. The bar will remain much the same. We are looking to do something with the car park, but it’s more long-term than short-term,’ added Mr O’Neill.

‘What I have experienced is that The Bowl is widely known and 95% of the population are aware it is here. I think the potential is very good and the league structure is very strong.’

Mr Farmer will continue to run Simply Does It, the outside catering arm, during the refurbishment. ‘We can still do corporate events under our own auspices,’ he said.