DISAPPOINTED members of the closure-hit St Leonards Club in Stafford say the last pints will be pulled on March 31 marking the end of an era.
A series of events to give the club a big send-off will be held in the run-up to the closure but most events booked beyond the end of March will be ditched. The wild west family day planned for June 1, will now be at Highfields Social Club.
The axe has been hanging over St Leonards for some time. It is understood the club in the grounds of Alstom, was in £30,000 debt and the company would no longer subsidise it.
Company bosses hope the premises will still be available to hire out to sports and entertainment groups.
Member Lorraine Conkey, who has been campaigning to keep the club, said: “We wish to express our sadness on the closure of St Leonards Social Club which has provided this town with the facilities that shared many important times in so many people’s lives; from Christenings, weddings and funerals to sporting events, Christmas parties and live entertainment.”
Among the events planned will be a reunion for retired English Electric, GEC and Alstom employees in March, an indoor car boot sale on March 24 from 12-3pm and a Motown and northern soul night, organised by Stu Haycock, director of community radio station XLFM on March 29.
Amercian Style Wrestling and a pub quiz will be on offer on March 30.
In its heyday the club had 1,500 members and attracted big-name stars including Ken Dodd and Bob Monkhouse.
Over the last couple of years it has struggled and in spite of staging regular events including fairs and live music, it has failed to turn the situation around.
