The Mount Maunganui Bridge Club is delighted to be playing the game they love in their new purpose-built clubrooms that opened this month.

After developments for the new clubroom began in February 2021, the Mount Maunganui Bridge Club settled into their new venue at the start of this month and will hold a welcoming event this Saturday, September 24.

Farewelling their old clubroom, which opened in 1974, club president Diane Rodger says the build process for their new club has been 'the most exciting rewarding experience that we've ever had”.

The new clubrooms features modern facilities, a new kitchen and club members can keep cool while they play. 'We've got wonderful air conditioning – the whole facility is just a pleasure to be at,” says Diane.

The new clubrooms are at the top level of the new building located on Golf Rd and is shared with Omanu Surf Club and Lifesaving New Zealand.

Split into two rooms for bridge club players, Diane says: 'One room is for regular bridge playing and the other room is for lessons, so we can have bridge lessons going on at the same time as we're playing bridge – and that's just a huge advantage for us.”

The Mount Maunganui Bridge Club will kick off celebrations for their new clubrooms with a shared lunch and bubbles. Then it'll be time for bridge!

'We're going to draw partners so you might get an open grade player playing with a novice grade player, which will be just lovely for everybody,” says Diane.

She describes bridge as a rewarding and stimulating game. 'You never stop learning, you're always learning new things – that's the exciting part of it.” But the best thing is connecting with others, says Diane. 'Mainly it's the friendships you make and the sense of belonging to a club.”

The Mount Maunganui Bridge Club offers lessons annually and Diane encourages anyone interested in learning to play to contact her at: dgrodger@yahoo.co.nz