As the name suggests we are based at the Northey Arms Pub in the lovely village of Box in Wiltshire. Our nine floodlit pistes, are located at the rear of the pub carpark in a charming fenced garden area, surrounded by trees.
WHEN DO WE PLAY
We love playing anytime, throughout the year, but focus on the summer months. We have specific club nights every Monday normally from April -September 6.30pm (view the calendar to check times), with informal or league games on many most other nights.
If you fancy joining in, just pop along on a Monday and introduce yourself or contact us using this site.
MEMBERSHIP
We have more than 50 club members who simply enjoy playing boules. Our membership is equally split between men and women who enjoy a few hours of leisurely exercise.
Our Club is very inclusive. We have a wide range of skills and ages playing, but our main focus is to simply enjoy playing the game of Boules. We can provide boules for you to play with or you can of course bring your own. Our Club holds a number of internal competitions throughout the year, for players of any standard. More serious players compete in various leagues and reginal competitions of a higher standard. This approach caters for all talents.
During our club nights we offer coaching and training sessions from our group of qualified and experienced coaches.
Junior members are always welcome and we offer free membership to all under 16 year olds as we know this is the future of our Club. Our local coaches are qualified to support them as well as having a well funded Regional Youth Development program.
The pub is owned and managed by Butcombe who look after us very well and provide excellent facilities keep us all fed and watered. They operate a loyalty card and as Boules Club Members we are privileged to get a special discount on food.
MORE INFO
On this site you will find more information about our club, the people, current events, links to other interested sites, including our Facebook page. Members can register and log in to get specific information about events. Information is sent out directly, along with regular updates and notifications.
BOULES or PETANQUE?
The game we all love is generally known as “Boules” but the correct name is “Petanque”. Games can be played as singles, doubles or triples. It is played on an area called a ‘piste’- normally a gravel surface, with different size stones. This can be as basic as a gravel drive or car park area, but at the Northey the nine pistes are specially constructed at the back of the car park, all with flood lights. The uneven surface means that games require basic skills as well as a lot of luck, so all can do well. This all adds to the joy of playing.
SOCIAL
The main aim of the club is to enjoy playing boules and to enhance this we have a good social side. Access to the excellent facilities of the Northey Arms is a good start. We also have several social competitions throughout the year – a Spring Cup, a Summer Melee and BBQ, an Autumn Cup followed by curry and last but not least a Christmas friendly. Teams are drawn on the day to make for inclusive events. The annual awards dinner in November is also a good occasion to celebrate the season and present trophies won during the year.
CHARITY
Members select a different charity to support each year and fundraise through the various club events in that year. Previous charities have been:
- Wiltshire Air Ambulance
- Dorothy House
- Guide Dogs for the Blind.
- Huntingdon’s Disease Association
- Niamh’s charity (NiamhRETTchange)
- Our current charity is Bath Cancer support Group
SPONSORSHIP
The club has a very strong relationship with our sponsors BathAquaGlass. They support the activities of the club and have contributed to our specifically designed T shirts and fleeces. They provide unique BathAquaGlass trophies for our internal competitions and awards. You will find links to them within the menu page.
COMPETITIONS
We have teams in two leagues.
- The Bath Thursday Night Leagues, – centred around Bath- We have 6 teams.
- Brunel League – covering the GWR region.
These combined with the various regional or national PE (Petanque England) competitions, give a more serious side for those interested in a greater challenge. We generally enter teams into the Regional Championships and the Euro Cup competitions.
We have travelled as a club to several events in Guernsey, Jersey and France including the World Championships in Marseille, regarded as the home of Petanque- a fantastic experience.
To find us you can go to the interactive map or just come along to:
The Northey Arms
Bath Road
Box
Wiltshire
SN13 8AE
We look forward to welcoming you at the club.