The future of a popular indoor bowls club could be in doubt due to the council cutting funding.

Watford Indoor Bowls Club secretary Audrey Watts says that since the club opened at Woodside Playing Fields, in Garston, in 1991, the council has been paid more than £1 million in rent but demands are now “unrealistic”.

She said: “The facility was built at no cost to Watford ratepayers because money was used from the sale of council houses which would otherwise have been forfeit to the Government.

“Since the rent was set at an unrealistically high rate for a bowls club it has proved impossible to meet it in full over recent years.

"For a few years the council abated the unpaid amount but more recently they have merely accepted it accompanied by full details of the club accounts.”

Watford Borough Council says it has been in discussions with the bowls club over the past 18 months.

However, the council will not be able to continue to subsidise the club or meet its demand for an on-going tenancy at below market rent.

The council is prepared to negotiate terms for a new lease with the club which gives time for the membership to transfer to new facilities over the next few years – but it says the club has not accepted the offers made.

Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: “This is clearly a difficult issue for anyone using the club. However, this facility is underused with a declining membership which has been going behind on its rent and there is a very similar alternative facility just a few miles away.

“The situation the club is in financially is now unsustainable and the space could well be used for something else that would benefit everyone in Watford.

“The bottom line is that as a council we cannot continue to subsidise a club that has unfortunately got itself into a financial position as serious as this.”