THE son of a former bowls club captain has raised concerns over the fate of its honours boards once its former clubhouse is demolished.

David Lee, who was born in Cowley but emigrated to Perth in Australia 40 years ago, supported his father at Florence Park Bowls Club as a child.

He said: “I read in the Oxford Mail about the sad demise of the clubrooms and the decision to demolish the premises.

"“What will happen to the honour boards and trophy winners boards that were mounted on the walls of the club rooms?”

The empty building, on the site of Florence Park Community Centre in Cornwallis Road, is to be knocked down with ‘immediate effect’ after it was deemed to pose a safety hazard by Oxford City Council.

It had already been condemned as a result of a leaky roof and had been out of action for many years, a far cry from its heyday in the 1950s.

Mr Lee said: "My late father, Jack Lee, was a founding member of the club and was captain three times during his playing days with the club.

“As an eight or nine-year-old during the early 1950s I used to make the tea for my dad and all the members who helped build the clubrooms."

David Henwood, Oxford city councillor for Cowley, said he was confident the honours boards would be kept safe.

He said: “The plaques and trophies are still in situ.

“These are going to be photographed and treated with the utmost respect.”

The city council was unable to comment on the fate of the trophies but said contractors were being sought to knock down the building.

Council spokesman Tony Ecclestone said: "The last condition survey was carried out in October 2016, with structural updates following at three month intervals.

"The site is boarded up and safety warning signs have been put up.

“The city council is working with the Florence Park Community Association, which operates the adjacent community centre, to identify a timescale for demolition that will minimise the impact on the centre and its users"

It is believed work will start within 12 weeks and will then take between three and six weeks to complete.

The building is owned by Oxford City Council and is managed by the Florence Park Community Association.

The community association did not respond to a request for comment.