Exeter has five bowling clubs which cost �80,000 a year to maintain

In some cases, membership has dropped by half in six years at one Exeter club.

The city has five bowling clubs which cost council tax payers �80,000 a year to maintain.

Exeter City Council says that works out at a subsidy of up to �288 per player and it is considering setting target membership levels for clubs to meet.

If market forces are going to apply, then I would say they will be closing everything Jeff Evans, Belmont Bowling Club

Alan Craig, head of leisure, said the council is concerned about balancing the books.

"The actual subsidy per use is very high," he said.

"Earlier this year, we closed one of our joint-use sports centres because, although it was well used, it was expensive and there was spare capacity in the other centres.

"This is a very similar situation."

But Jeff Evans, secretary of Belmont Bowling Club, says sport is about more than basic accounting.

He said: "I don't see why leisure is suddenly being highlighted, if they want to balance their books they will never do that.