The bowling alley in a shopping complex shut this week.

Regulars who turned up for a game at the MFA Bowl indoor centre in Chatham's Pentagon shopping centre discovered it locked up with a sign on the door saying it was closed for business.

One retired couple were anxious because they have been unable to retrieve hundreds of pounds worth of sports gear stored in a locker inside.

Tina and Dennis Rock, who live in Morland Drive, Strood, went to the alley on Tuesday after rumours of the closure emerged the day before.

Dennis, 77, said: “We have been going for years meeting up with a group on Wednesday mornings. It seemed as it if was being run down, but we had no inkling this was going to happen,

“We have some expensive items in there. Balls are about £60 each and shoes another £50. There was no number of who to contact and no explanation.”

'As a result it has become necessary to mothball a number of sites, which were closed this morning.'

Tina, 80, who has been going for 10 years and plays for The Ramblers team, said: “We pay £20 a year for the locker and want our property back. We have friends who have equipment in there and altogether there must be about £700 worth of items inside.We are worried we might not get it back.”

The venue was popular for children’s parties.

Charlene Malone, the Pentagon’s deputy centre manager, said: “We saw a post on social media with a telephone number to call with inquiries about MFA Bowl as we have no further information.

“This number directs you to Lewisham who are dealing with all queries for the Chatham branch regarding refunds or access to obtain property.”

The Messenger tried to contact MFA Bowl but calls were not being answered.

Online bookings for Chatham had been disabled.

Other news organisations have reported that some but not all MFA Bowl branches across the country had also closed.

Philip Duffy and Allan Graham, both of Duff & Phelps, were appointed Joint Administrators of MFA Bowl Limited on Wednesday, February 13.

The company is one of the UK’s leading indoor tenpin bowling centres with 12 sites throughout the UK, many equipped with 18 lanes and automated scoring systems, arcade games including pool tables, and indoor play areas.

Mr Duffy said on Tuesday: “Since appointment we have been trading the business as a going concern while in parallel we have marketed it for sale.

“While we have been unable to find a buyer for all 12 sites we are confident we have a buyer for part of the business.

“As a result it has become necessary to mothball a number of sites, which were closed this morning.”

The sites now closed include Chatham, Banbury, North Shields, Preston, Southend and Sunderland.