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CONSTRUCTION work has been carried out in recent weeks at one of the island’s most well-known expat members’ clubs to provide a new sports lounge to cater for passionate football fans.
The Dilmun Club, better known as The Dilly, is set to open it this week after releasing teasing images of an artist’s impression of the project.
General manager Stephen Chartres, an ardent fan of Leicester City, said: “The Dilmun Club has been for a long time one of the most popular places in Bahrain to watch live football, especially for expats wanting to follow the Premier League.
“Our focus has been on it remaining as a Sports Lounge whilst creating a cool, classy environment for everyone to enjoy their football and other live sports. Aspects such as a new dining area, an extra room and a relaxing terrace overlooking the gardens will add to the overall offering.
“The sports lounge is under complete redevelopment. This was seen as an absolute must, it was one of the areas of the club that had received little recent investment.
“So, what’s in store? I want to keep some things a surprise for the opening night! However, the members will be getting a completely refurbished sports lounge that our members can be proud of and the much missed open terrace will be returning bigger and better than before!”
The club’s executive committee says it is focused on improving facilities and growing its family membership base.
The work has been carried out with contractors and development partners Projects Bahrain and the club’s supplier African & Eastern.
Rod Pearson, executive committee chairman, said: “Together we have invested a great deal of time, effort and funds into a project I am sure we will all be proud of.”
And lots more is in the pipeline too, he added: “The club’s committee has set a target that each month there will be something new at the club both aesthetically and physically. New sports and activities are being implemented to give the club an overall advantage in our goal of increasing our membership whilst increasing our overall standards generally.”
Founded in 1974, the family, sporting and social facility grew from humble beginnings when expats Alan Stirling, Glyn Ashley and Adrian Westby were looking for somewhere to relax after a hard week working at smelting giants, Alba.
They struck upon the idea of creating a club that was initially hosted in the front room of Adrian’s house in Budaiya Gardens. It was called the Bulls Head and meetings were held twice a week. As the club started to grow a small villa was rented and the members took it in turns to work behind the counter and light the BBQ.
As the club continued to grow its executive committee took a risk and relocated to where the Country Club is today. The move paid off and the club finally settled into its current premises in Saar in October 1988 with the blessing of the kingdom’s ruler at the time, the late Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and opened under his patronage.
