Francis Drake might have been playing bowls when he faced the might of Spanish armada. But that pales into insignificance compared to the impending battle to save Kemsley Bowls Club.

The club has been a feature of village life since it was formed by Edward Lloyd, owner of the nearby paper mill, for his Sittingbourne workers 92 years ago.

For years members were happy to pay a peppercorn rent.

But last year they discovered, out of the blue, that the ground in Ridham Avenue and now valued at £250,000 had been secretly sold to New Zealand firm Fletcher Challenge.

Directors were due to have a crunch meeting on Wednesday to decide its fate.

They have asked the bowls club to sign up to a one-year lease for a peppercorn rent of £5 or to buy it - for £100,000.

Tracey Stratfull, the ladies vice-captain, said: "We are up in arms.The club has been established since 1928 and plays a big part in our community.

"We are trying very hard to save it but that sort of money is beyond us."

The committee is seeking legal advice about the lease because it would have to agree to contract out of the Landlords and Tenants Act of 1954 which only secure its tenure for a year at a time.

In a letter to the club Ernie Francis, who is acting for Fletchers, admitted: "Ultimately in the future Fletchers will want to, one day, sell this land and so the lease contains the provision to contract out of the landlord and tenants act of 1954 meaning we can give a lease for a year but with no automatic right of renewal.

"Fletchers is not saying it won’t renew in the future but it is possible that after a year of your lease we may want to put it up for sale. I believe we have been very patient."

He said a commercial rent would be £20,000 a year and warned: "If neither option to lease or purchase is forthcoming, or another solution is suggested, I will have to instruct our solicitors to start legal proceedings to take possession of our land."

The club has learned that the land, which was once owned by the various owners of the town's paper mills, was passed to UK Leisure Club before the sale.

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