Last chance for the Legion club

The development follows a vote by over 60 members last Wednesday to keep the Beresford Avenue premises.

Outgoing secretary, John Clanaghan, told the Times: “We were unable to get a new committee elected. The financial situation was outlined to the members and following a question and answer session they voted to keep the clubroom.”

The present committee stood down and Branch President, Bill Mills, wants as many members as possible to attend and Annual General Meeting on Friday for an 8pm start.

He told the Times yesterday: “I have spent the last few days calling people who are interested in working to keep the club open and to work towards getting the club out of the predicament that it finds itself in at the moment.

“I know this will be a lot of hard work and so do the members that are willing to form a committee.

To this end we have to hold an AGM to form an elected new committee and move forward. This will need the support as members to vote them in and their support in the future to keep the club going forward.”

And Mr Mills warned: “This is the last chance we have to keeping the club open. Without this AGM and the committee being voted in then the club will close. So please let’s support this and give the club that has been in this town for years a fighting chance.

“If all goes well at this meeting the Legion Club will be open for business as usual on Saturday, December 1. So could all members that are interested in the club please please turn up for the AGM.”

Mr Mills said that a chairman, secretary, treasurer and six-person committee had been agreed and that the body now needed the official blessing of members to take the club forward.

The club has fallen on hard times due to a lack of support by members. Across the UK many British Legion clubs have experienced a similar decline with some closing.