Club Redcliffs is a community club on James Street in Redcliffs, Christchurch, formed from the Redcliffs Mount Pleasant Bowls Club, which adopted its current name in July 2022. The club describes itself as a community hub for the residents of Redcliffs and beyond, pairing two bowling greens with exercise classes, great food, a vibrant social programme and much more.
Bowls sits at the heart of the club. It fields interclub teams, runs club championships, hosts tournaments and its own Howard Smith event, and publishes draws including a dedicated Over 60s competition. For a lower-key game, casual bowls offers a relaxed way onto the green, while coaching sessions — including a winter coaching programme — help new players learn and experienced players improve.
The club's reach goes well beyond bowls. Exercise classes run on site, an events calendar keeps the clubhouse busy, and the venue can be booked for private functions with catering provided by Salt Catering. Membership is open to new members, and the club acknowledges the local sponsors who support much of what it does.
Its stated purpose is to provide a welcoming, well-equipped club where local people can play bowls, relax, socialise and exercise; its vision is to be a focal point for the community, a place where people can connect and thrive. Contact the club on 03 384 3733 or at [email protected].
Nine James Street in Redcliffs is the home of Club Redcliffs, a long-standing community institution in Christchurch. Until July 2022 the club was known as the Redcliffs Mount Pleasant Bowls Club; the new name marked a deliberate shift in identity, from a traditional bowling club to a community hub for the residents of Redcliffs and beyond. Two bowling greens, exercise classes, great food, a vibrant social programme and a full functions calendar now share one address.
Bowls runs deep in this corner of the city. The club's own website carries separate histories of the Redcliffs Bowling Club and of Mt Pleasant bowling — the two strands behind the modern club's combined name. Centennial souvenirs are available through the club, a nod to its long history, and local sponsors including SBS Bank, Speight's, New World Ferry Road, John Rhind, Cassels and Ryman Healthcare's Ngaio Marsh village help make much of what the club does possible.
The club states its purpose plainly: to provide a welcoming, well-equipped club where local people can play bowls, relax, socialise and exercise. Its vision is to be a focal point for the community — a place where people can connect and thrive.
Competition anchors the bowling calendar. Members represent the club in interclub play, with online sign-up each season; contest internal club championships; and take part in tournaments as well as the club's own Howard Smith event, which has its own published conditions and draw. There is a dedicated Over 60s draw, and team selections are published for both the pre-Christmas and post-Christmas halves of the season.
None of this excludes newcomers. Casual bowls offers a relaxed way onto the green without any competition commitment, and coaching sessions are available for anyone who wants to learn the game or sharpen their technique. Coaching does not stop when the season does, either — the club runs a dedicated winter coaching programme, so the colder months are a genuine time to start.
For anyone weighing up a first visit, the path is low-pressure: try a casual roll-up, book into a coaching session, and only then think about membership. Bowls rewards patience, but the social side starts immediately.
Plenty happens at Club Redcliffs that never touches a green. Exercise classes bring people through the doors year-round, and a social programme and events calendar keep the clubhouse busy. The venue is available to book for private functions, with Salt Catering on hand to look after the food. Membership is open to new members, an online shop stocks club gear, and the website also lists a 'Mates in Bowls' programme among its bowls activities.
Because the club is built for the community rather than around a single activity, it suits a wide mix of people: bowlers who want serious competition, newer players who want to learn, neighbours who want a weekly exercise class, and locals who simply need a friendly room for a get-together. That breadth is exactly what the 2022 rebrand was about.
Club Redcliffs sits at 9 James St, Redcliffs, Christchurch 8081. Opening hours are not published on the club's web pages and naturally vary with the bowling season and the events schedule, so it pays to check the club's online calendar, email [email protected] or phone 03 384 3733 before setting out. Whether you are a seasoned bowler chasing championship points, a complete beginner curious about the game, a local looking for an exercise class, or someone hunting for a venue, the club's promise is the same: a welcoming, well-equipped place to connect.