WheelPower, the organisation that now runs the Stoke Mandeville facility, has decided that it is too costly and plans to convert the building into something more profitable, but the move will cause huge problems for Britain's top wheelchair bowlers, as well as the able-bodied Stoke Mandeville Indoor Bowls Club, who are based there.

The decision to close the facility has been heavily criticised by Ian Blackmore, the chairman of the BWBA, who has hit out at WheelPower for its lack of transparency over the announcement.

"It's a sad day for us, because bowls has been an ever-present sport at Stoke Mandeville since the late 1940's when Dr Ludwig Guttmann pioneered the idea that sport could be part of the rehabilitation process for people who have suffered spinal injuries," said Blackmore.

"To be honest, we consider WheelPower's figures to be suspect, but it apparently made its decision as long ago as last November and kept quiet about it until April.

"The decision is all the more questionable because it comes in the year leading up to the Paralympic Games.

"Some of our members are dismayed, angry and bewildered and some of them, who have been members for twenty years or more and are normally mild-mannered individuals, are incandescent and ready to man the barricades.

"It has come as a tremendous blow."

But despite the criticism, Martin McElhatton, the chief executive of WheelPower, has defended the decision claiming that maintaining the bowls hall is no longer financially viable.

"Unfortunately due to reducing membership of bowls and increased costs of utilities the building is no longer viable as a Bowls Centre," said McElhatton.

"The WheelPower Board is discussing alternative uses which will contribute to the financial sustainability of Stoke Mandeville Stadium and continue to provide excellent facilities for disabled sport and the local community.

"We appreciate this will be disappointing news to members of the local indoor bowls club and the British Wheelchair Bowls Association, who use the facility currently, and WheelPower will be working with local authorities to help facilitate the bowlers at alternative clubs locally.

"In these tough economic times WheelPower has had to take this action, as neither the charity nor Stoke Mandeville Stadium can sustain continued losses within this area of the business."

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