Micky Harris, Derek Adams and Roger Cheeseman from the Sturry Road Area Pigeon Racing Club. Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Adam Williams

A Canterbury pigeon racing
club faces an uncertain future after the social club its members
have met at for more than 30 years closed last weekend.

The Sturry Road Area Invitation
Pigeon Club met twice a week at the Sturry Road Social Club in East
Street, which had about 400 paying members and hosted several other
clubs’ meetings, but the venue has now closed for business.

As a result the pigeon club is now
without a home and could be forced to fold if it fails to find new
premises by next year.

The club, set up in the 1970s,
regularly holds races in the summer and its members look after
their own pigeons in coops in their back gardens.

Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

Video: Pigeon racing club
appeals for new home

Member Micky Harris, of Reed
Avenue, fears for both the future of the sport and the club if a
new home can’t be found quickly.

He said: “It’s an expensive hobby
looking after the birds and if I can’t race them any more, I might
have to consider selling them.

“If we can’t find a new home, and
fast, then I fear that could be it for us, I really do.”

Another member Roger Cheeseman
admits the sport is sadly becoming a forgotten pastime, with fewer
younger people taking an interest.

He said: “It’s something that’s in
the blood. My dad raced pigeons and so did Micky’s.

“Our youngest fancier Kieron Scott,
who’s 14, is a member because his dad introduced him to the
sport.

“Today, kids are more interested in
computer games and technology and less so in something like this,
which is a hobby and gets them outdoors.”

City council spokesman Rob Davies
admitted they are yet to receive any formal notification of the
social club’s closure.

He said: “We have heard rumours
about it closing and clubs and societies now being left without a
place to meet.

“We have written to the secretary
asking him to clarify the position and are awaiting a response.

“In the short term, the affected clubs might want to take a look at our website www.e-canterbury.co.uk/venues which lists all the venues across the district that can hired for events and meetings.”