- 0 Jun 2016
- Manly Daily
- Sarah Swain
Clubs give nod to merger
Only 50 pokies expected when Manly Leagues moves to Club North Manly site
THE merger of a leagues club and a bowling club, which saw councillors air fears about problem gambling, will go ahead.
Brookvale’s Manly Leagues Club and Club North Manly have voted to join together, which could see the leagues club move to the bowling club’s site in District Park, North Manly.
The leagues club eventually hopes to redevelop the site in a $6 million plan – if it wins a bid for a new lease on the site when the current agreement expires next August.
However, bosses have said they will have only around 50 pokies.
A councillor expressed fears last year that they could transfer up to 200 from the Brookvale site.
Manly Leagues Club CEO Craig Norman confirmed both clubs had agreed on the move and said they now needed to get permission from the Office of Liqueur and Gaming.
“Everyone has said the club is going to move all the pokies down there – that’s not our intention,” Mr Norman said. “We are looking at around 50,” he said.
Secretary-manager for Club North Manly, Paul Campbell, said he was pleased with the deal.
“What it will do is improve our chances of signing an extended or longterm lease with the Northern Beaches Council,” he said.
Then Warringah councillor Pat Daley wanted to restrict Club North Manly to its current 12 poker machines as more should not be allowed in the “totally inappropriate location”.
Mr Daley said he welcomed the plan for a small amount of pokies.
A Northern Beaches Council spokeswoman, said: “Council will take into consideration the community feedback and are progressing finalising the tender criteria and documentation which will be released later this year.”
