Norths grilled over delays on Bowlo promises

Greg Nash travelled to Sydney to attend the AGM of Norths Collective after having earlier submitted a number of hard-hitting questions and comments regarding the lack of progress on promised club renovations and improvements, poor member communication over the last 12 months, and the current unsettled management and staffing issues.

Norths Collective has had two difficult trading years for a number of reasons – post-COVID impacts, cost-of-living crisis, lack of available discretionary spending, rising costs in all expense areas, changing entertainment preferences and pokies being on the nose (good!). The hospitality industry is generally struggling across the board, and Norths Collective is no different. However, they have reset and restructured in all key areas and are trading well in 2025, with high expectations of turning things around in fairly short order. They are most definitely not engaging in any further club mergers or acquisitions and understand that they need to focus on their existing assets. They intend to reduce bank debt by selling off a valuable Sydney asset and significantly improve cash flow in order to invest in the remaining group assets, including the Bangalow Bowlo.

Here’s the outcome of last night’s meeting:

The Draft Master Plan and Draft Development Application for the proposed major renovations for the Bowlo are on hold for the short to medium term – likely one to two years – and until their financial position has significantly improved to allow what will be a multi-million-dollar investment. They have five years following amalgamation – that’s until mid-2028 – to commence the major renovations, according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and I think they will need all of that time to commence and complete the job. I advised them in no uncertain terms that Bangalow Bowlo members and, indeed, the Bangalow community are deeply unhappy with this outcome and that it’s most definitely not what we signed up for, despite what the MOU terms and conditions may state. They heard it loud and clear from me and well understand our acute concerns. They appear to be contrite and genuine. However, they are heavily capital-constrained, and it’s just not possible at this time. Most disappointing, given our high expectations in 2022. It’s a gut punch, for sure.

What will commence and mostly be completed in 2025 includes the following work items:

• Complete replacement of the bifold windows and doors in the auditorium, for both aesthetic and acoustic reasons (just completed in May 2025 – well done, Salvo!)
• Fresh painting of the property, including repairs to gutters and eaves
• Screening and clean-up of the under-veranda storage area
• Screening of the refrigeration unit located in the car park
• Repairs to outdoor shade sails
• New outdoor festoon lighting
• Upgrade of the audiovisual system to assist in the operation of functions, events and other promotional activities
• Repair and replacement of furniture items throughout the venue
• Make the pokie room less conspicuous – there are no plans to add more machines
• Install new television screens and related equipment

Norths Collective has appointed a new Group CEO and a new Group COO, both of whom are very experienced. I met with the new COO and he said he’d anonymously visited the Bangalow Bowlo last weekend just to have a look (he doesn’t commence until June 2025) and committed to sorting out the management and staffing issues as a priority. I advised him that our team members are distressed and confused and need immediate assistance and support.

On an interim basis, experienced staff will be redeployed from Tweed Heads Seagulls until a new GM for the Bowlo is appointed. They need to appoint a strong, experienced GM as soon as possible and sort out the spotty service problems – including better rostering, I advised.

My assessment is that Norths Collective will paddle along until their financial position improves and allows for the promised investments and building upgrades at the Bowlo to take place. I think they’ll get there – but we shall have to be patient, grrrr! I don’t believe that they have any grand plan to do anything other than run a licensed club at Bangalow, so please don’t be concerned that our much-loved club will turn into a block of flats overnight. We won’t let that happen, and my assessment is that it’s not on Norths Collective’s radar at all.

In the meantime, please support the Bowlo – eat, drink, play – that’ll help.

Greg ‘Nashy’ Nash

Photos Lyn McCarthy Niche Pictures