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THE Dilmun Club is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary with a host of activities next month which will include a celebrity appearance, refreshed facilities and a celebration fun-day to treat members and attract newcomers.
Founded in 1974 and fondly known as ‘The Dilly’ the family, sporting and social facility in Saar currently boasts around 3,000 members from 60 countries.
Club committee chairman Martin Allison said: “Next month is an important milestone in the proud history of our club as it marks the 40th anniversary of its inception in 1974.
“We want to make it an occasion to remember, reward the loyalty of members and really concentrate on what has made and continues to make this club so popular and successful.
“It’s a home-away-from-home for the expat community and what really makes this place special is its family-friendly environment and that’s something we mustn’t lose touch with.”
Forty years ago expats Alan Stirling, Glyn Ashley and Adrian Westby were looking for somewhere to relax after a hard week smelting for 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.
The club was called the Bulls Head and meetings were held twice a week. As the club started to grow in popularity a small villa was rented and the members took it in turns to work behind the bar and light the BBQ.
As the club continued to grow its executive committee took a huge gamble and relocated to where the Country Club is today. The gamble 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.
To mark the auspicious occasion of its anniversary the club will be holding a month-long celebration throughout March. Whilst events are still being finalised its current executive committee made up of Mr Allison, vice-chair Abdul Sanad, secretary & sports Alec Peck, treasurer Mark Brereton-Stuart, entertainment Steve Keeble, liaison Shawki Nasser and house Mohammed Al Maskati, is planning a full programme of events including:
* A special anniversary menu and versions of its regular Dinner for Two (Sundays), Friday Brunch, Steak Night (Thursdays) and Roast Dinner (Fridays)
* Special anniversary editions of the ever-popular Prize Night (Mondays) and members Lucky Key Draw (Thursdays)
* An Anniversary Fun Day on Friday, March 7 featuring:
– An afternoon of music from local bands in the Pool Bar
– A kids ‘Dil-ympics’ sports tournament featuring the various coaches of the sports sections including tennis, swimming, diving, football, netball and horse riding.
– A kids PS3 gaming tournament
– A special all-day BBQ
– Kids entertainment around the pool area to include a kids disco in the newly-refurbished Amigos and an assortment of bouncy things
– The day will then culminate by welcoming rockney legend Chas Hodges (of Chas ‘n’ Dave fame) to the club for a right good Cockney knees-up featuring all the classics such as Snooker Loopy, Rabbit and Gertcha!
“Best of all, and as a thank you to our loyal members,” said Mr Allison, “the day’s celebrations will be free for members. That’s right; members just have to pay for their food and refreshments!”
Non-members can join in the fun and view the club’s facilities too for a BD2 entrance fee.
The fun will continue on March 13 with an early St Patrick’s Day show featuring a Bono from U2 tribute act.
On March 14 the club will host a Race Night with all the excitement of Aintree, Kempton Park and Walthamstow Dogs combined and stage a gala dinner on March 21 to celebrate the 40th anniversary in style.
The month will sign off with a return of the popular Room 2 Rock night on March 28 featuring local young musicians and their tutors.
The anniversary fun day appearance of Chas has music-lovers and Spurs fans on the island particularly delighted. He is probably best known for being one half, and lead vocalist, of the English musical pop rock duo, Chas & Dave, most notable as creators and performers of a musical style labelled ‘rockney’, which mixes pub singalong, music-hall humour, boogie-woogie piano and pre-Beatles rock ’n’ roll.
Chas is still famous and popular today among supporters of Tottenham Hotspur FC following singles he released with Dave Peacock. These include Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur, Hot Shot Tottenham, When the Year Ends in One and Ossie’s Dream also known as Spurs are on their way to Wembley. In 2009, following the death of his wife Sue, Dave announced his retirement from performing with Chas & Dave.
The Dilly has recently splashed out around BD30,000 to improve dining, refreshments and sunshine experiences at the expat members club and staged one of its biggest concerts in years headlined by Toploader last summer.
It also teamed up with Gulf Brands International to open up a pool bar to enhance the ‘family-friendly area’ and also provide a multi-purpose stage where Chas will perform.
Major refurbishments have also taken place at Amigos poolside restaurant, a popular venue for children’s birthday parties, which will officially reopen during the anniversary celebrations as a remodelled American 1950s-style diner.
It will include a hi-tech Microsoft X-box gaming area for youngsters with an adjoining milkshakes, waffles and ice-slush drinks bar. The old ‘church pews’ which once adorned the seating area have been snapped up by members as ‘mementoes’ and used as garden furniture. Money raised from their sale has helped cover ‘a substantial’ amount of the latest refurbishment costs.
As reported in GulfWeekly, in recent years the club has invested more than BD140,000 to improve it facilities for members which has included a seated veranda.
