What is the proposed merger between Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowls Association?

Updated

Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowls Association (EIBA) are working towards a merger that would bring indoor and outdoor flat green bowls together under a single organisation, provisionally called England Bowls. According to Bowls England, the proposal has been developed with the financial support of Sport England and a specialist consultancy firm, and a detailed outline of the merger has been completed. If you want to follow or act on the proposal, the practical next step is to track the official news updates and the "Find Out More" page on bowlsengland.com.

What the proposal actually covers

The stated aim is to unite the indoor and outdoor sides of flat green bowls in England. Bowls England frames this as a long-discussed idea: "For decades bowlers have talked about merging the indoor and outdoor organisations."

The published details are limited to the process so far:

  • Support: Sport England funding and a specialist consultancy firm.
  • Work completed: a detailed outline of a merger.
  • Working name: England Bowls.
  • Status: a proposal, described as "the proposed amalgamation of Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowls Association."

The site does not publish a confirmed timetable, voting process, membership fee impact, or final governance structure. Treat anything beyond the outline as unconfirmed until it appears in an official update.

Who is driving it and what has been said publicly

The board preparing the transition is referred to as the England Bowls Board Designate, chaired by Jo Doust. A Bowls England news item, "England Bowls Board Designate: Preparing for a Unified Future," describes the board as "leading a clear route for the proposed amalgamation of Bowls England and the English Indoor Bowls Association."

A separate news item, "Get to Know the Chair of the England Bowls Designate," is an interview with Jo Doust conducted by BBC Radio West Midlands presenter Donna Alos. These items are the main public sources on the direction of the proposal.

How to follow developments

  1. Go to bowlsengland.com.
  2. Open the Latest News section for merger-related items (the board updates and the chair interview are listed there).
  3. Use the "Find Out More" link in the "Bringing Together Flat Green Bowls as England Bowls" section, which Bowls England describes as the place to "stay up to date with all the latest news and developments."

Expected result: you get the organisation's own statements rather than second-hand summaries. If a detail you need — such as club affiliation, membership, or competition eligibility during transition — is not on those pages, it has not been published yet.

What this means if you are a club or member

The merger is not presented as completed. Until an official announcement says otherwise:

  • Your current affiliation and competition arrangements remain as they are.
  • Club services (affiliation benefits, loans, insurance, greens maintenance) continue to be listed under the existing Bowls England structure.
  • Any change to how indoor and outdoor clubs are governed would come through the designate board's published route, not through individual club action.

For clubs, the most useful habit is checking the Latest News and "Find Out More" pages periodically rather than relying on a single announcement.

Common points of confusion

  • "England Bowls" is not yet the operating body. It is the name used for the proposed unified organisation.
  • The outline is not the final agreement. A completed outline is a planning document, not a ratified merger.
  • Indoor and outdoor are both flat green. The proposal concerns flat green bowls specifically, not other formats.
  • No pricing or membership terms are published. Do not assume fees, voting rights, or timelines that are not stated on the site.