COLCHESTER'S leisure boss has said she is convinced people will book up an empty bowling green for events - after a fee paying club was forced out.

So far the green, in Castle Park, has been used by groups and events for free despite the Paxmans Bowls Club previously paying a yearly subscription to Colchester Council of around £1,660 to use it.

The council has no plans to put the green up for sale.

But Annie Feltham, councillor with responsibility for leisure, said: "We are marketing it and this is quite new.

"I am sure it will catch on when people can see they can hire it out like other parts of Castle Park.

"I think it should have a good future. We welcome people using it.

"There is a balance between what we can offer for free and what's commercial."

The bowling green was used for two days in June as part of Colchester's Food and Drink Festival.

It is also being for free for an hour a week by the Friends of Castle Park, which hold meetings in the pavilion.

It will be used this Sunday for free for the Bark in the Park event.

Mrs Feltham said: "We wouldn't charge ourselves obviously for the green and during the food festival the Mayor had a table on the bowling green.

"Bark in the Park is council run."

Paxmans Bowls Club had run for more than 100 years but folded in March.

The club was told it would have to pay £12,000 for the upkeep of the green, previously paid for by the council, but it could not raise enough money.

The council has set a charging tariff for the green of £22.50 per hour as a standard fee and £86 per hour for premium commercial events.