Earlier this year, Ted Vibert claimed that the Sun Bowls Club, Jersey Bowling Club at Westmount, St Saviour’s Bowling Club and St Brelade’s Bowling club had all caused him ‘embarrassment and hurt’ by refusing to admit him as a member.
As a result the 79-year-old ex-politician lodged applications with the Royal Court seeking £5,000 in compensation from each club.
Mr Vibert took up lawn bowls three years ago, initially joining the Sun Bowls Club at First Tower before he decided to change clubs.
He claimed, however, that he was denied membership at each of the clubs he applied to join, including when he tried to again become a member of the Sun Bowls Club.
Mr Vibert alleged he was refused admission because he fell out with senior officials at the clubs and they demonstrated ‘bias’ against him when he tried to join.
He also claimed that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself against ‘allegations’ made by some club members. It is unknown what the allegations were.
The case was heard before Advocate Matthew Thompson, who is the master of the Royal Court.
Advocate Jared Dann, acting for the Jersey Bowling Club, took the lead in setting out arguments in support of the four defendants. He said that they all had the right to turn away prospective members if they wished.
Advocate Thompson said that he agreed that the lawns bowls clubs should be able to ‘regulate their own affairs’ and refuse giving out memberships at their own discretion.
‘I accept that a refusal might give rise to a risk of speculation and gossip in a small community,’ he said.
‘However, this is not a problem unique to Jersey; it is a challenge that anyone rejected for membership in many communities might face.
‘This is not a reason to take a different approach than other courts have taken to date. Individuals are protected from speculation and gossip by the law of defamation.’
He added: ‘I also consider that any difficulties that an individual might face due to a refusal of membership are outweighed by the importance of clubs being able to regulate their own affairs.’
The advocate also said, however, that Mr Vibert could use the mediation services offered by Citizens Advice Jersey if he continued to face obstacles to his desire to play lawn bowls.
