A BOWLING green may become the saviour of a century-old social club that has hit on hard times.

The committee at Hollins Grove Liberal Club, Falcon Avenue, Darwen, is considering selling the green to a property developer to raise funds, after membership plummeted from 700 to 300 in the past six years.

An application was this week presented to Blackburn with Darwen Council requesting outline planning permission for a residential development on the bowling green next to Falcon Avenue and Oldfield Avenue.

Brian Stamp, treasurer of Hollins Grove, said many social clubs were currently struggling against competition from pubs.

"We have two other clubs and three pubs within a hundred yards of us -- that means there is six places you can go," he said. "It's bums on seats we need. A lot of people have stopped supporting us. Young ones don't go to the clubs any more like they used to.

They prefer to be in pubs with a bottle in their hand rather than a pint. But we have the opportunity to ensure to our future."

Mr Stamp also said the club had been vandalised three times this year which had been a drain on costs.

Councillors will discuss the application in the next two months.