The Story of The Park Cleveleys
From an Edwardian gathering at the West Drive Tea House to a historic home for community social gatherings, sporting traditions, and regional Freemasonry.
1907: A Historic Beginning on West Drive
The year 1907 was remarkable worldwide: Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scout movement and Rudyard Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Closer to home on the Fylde Coast, on 28 May 1907, a small group of pioneering residents from the newly created Cleveleys Park Estate met to consider forming a club for the purpose of creating a bowling green and tennis courts on the vacant land between West Drive and Whiteside Way.
On 31 May 1907, 14 residents assembled alongside Mr. G.G. Shepherd and the surveyor of Fleetwood Estates (the land developers) at the Tea House, West Drive — a quaint wooden building opposite where The Park stands today. Within days, terms were agreed for a 10-year lease at £5 per annum with an option to purchase the freehold for £600.
By August 1907, construction of the historic pavilion was commissioned. In 1908, a billiard table fund was established, securing an authentic championship table from E.J. Riley for £51 17s-6d along with a marking clock — initiating an unbroken tradition of snooker and billiards that continues to this day.
Historical Highlights
- 🏛️May 1907: Founded at Tea House, West Drive.
- 🎱1908: E.J. Riley Billiard Table installed.
- 📐1924: £5,575 Masonic Hall extension constructed.
- 📜4 Sept 1925: Inaugural meeting of Thornton & Cleveleys Lodge No 3854.
- 🏛️1970s–2020: The Park Club & Public Licence.
- 🌟2027: The Park — Social, Community & Masonic Centre.
Chronicle of Key Milestones
A Vision for Cleveleys Park Estate
On 28 May 1907, local residents gathered to consider creating a bowling green and tennis courts on West Drive.
On 31 May 1907, 14 pioneering residents met with Mr. G.G. Shepherd and the surveyor of Fleetwood Estates at the Tea House on West Drive (a small wooden building opposite where The Park stands today). By 8 June 1907, the Cleveleys Park Bowling and Tennis Club was formed with a 10-year lease at £5 per annum and an option to buy the freehold for £600. Construction of the pavilion began in August 1907.
Installation of the Riley Billiard Table
A billiard table fund was established, purchasing an original match table from E.J. Riley for £51 17s-6d.
The clubhouse was fully operational by the time Louis Blériot made his historic flight across the English Channel. The acquisition of an E.J. Riley table and marking clock established a sporting tradition of billiards and snooker on West Drive that continues to this day.
Masonic Extension & Hall Construction
Thornton & Cleveleys Lodge No 3854 and local brethren build the Masonic Hall extension.
Following the consecration of Thornton and Cleveleys Lodge No 3854 in 1918 (who had met at The Gardeners Arms and North Euston Hotel), plans were approved in 1924 to build a substantial Masonic Hall extension to the pavilion. Built by R. Leach and Co. for £5,575, it provided a ground floor dining room and concert hall with stage, kitchens, and upper temple rooms.
Opening of the Masonic Temple & Festive Board Hall
The inaugural meeting took place on 4 September 1925, cementing West Drive as a regional masonic centre.
Over the subsequent decades, the hall became home to 12 Craft Lodges, 5 Royal Arch Chapters, and various side degrees, welcoming hundreds of members and supporting countless charitable works across Lancashire.
The Park Club
Decades of operation and evolution under lease from MHC Ltd, including adding a dedicated masonic bar in the 1970s and securing a Public Licence in 2020.
Under leases from MHC Ltd, the Park Club continued to trade and evolve. In the 1970s, as attendance grew, local Lodges each contributed £2,500 to construct a dedicated masonic bar to relieve overcrowding in the main social bar. Changing attendance patterns eventually brought brethren back to regular gatherings in the shared club bar. Following shifts in governance and the granting of a full Public Licence, the organisation was registered in 2020 as The Park Club Cleveleys Ltd, with property ownership retained by MHC Ltd.
The Park: A Social, Community & Masonic Centre
Looking ahead towards 2027, plans and aspirations are emerging for a renewed image under the name "The Park", with the hopeful goal of becoming a social, community, and masonic centre.
As we look ahead towards 2027, there is a hopeful ambition to revitalize the venue with a fresh identity as "The Park". The aspiration is to build on our rich 1907 heritage and shape a modern, welcoming environment that brings together all aspects of venue life — uniting social gatherings, local community initiatives, and our historic masonic home under one vibrant roof. While plans and ideas continue to evolve, the goal is to create an open and enduring community asset for Cleveleys.
Discover The Park Cleveleys
Learn about our Masonic Centre or get in touch with our team on West Drive.