Published at 16:38, Monday, 24 December 2012

THERE is virtually no hope a Barrow working men’s club will be saved from closure, a committee member has said.

The Evening Mail reported last month how the premises of the British Workman’s Club, known as the Kill One, had been put up for sale.

Committee member Colin Park said despite meeting to discuss how the club could be saved, the committee had few realistic ideas for rescuing it from closure.

Initial reports said brewery Carlsberg had put the premises up for sale due to poor beer sales.

However, Carlsberg has since revealed it is only one of a number of creditors owed a “substantial amount of money” by the club.

The creditors have since appointed receivers to put it on the market.

On Sunday the committee is holding a meeting to see if there is any way the club can be rescued.

Mr Park said an idea had been mooted for members to try to buy the club but he was doubtful they would be able to raise the money.

“It has got to the state now where I really don’t think anything anyone says or does is going to help really,” he said.

Although there are around 300 members of the club, many of them were only very occasional visitors and it had struggled to make money.

Bookings for events at the club have been honoured for the rest of the year, but those scheduled for 2013 have been cancelled.

The darts, snooker and card playing leagues were looking for alternative venues to complete their seasons, Mr Park added.

If the premises were sold he did not believe the Duke Street club, which has moved venues on a number of occasions in the past, would survive.

Carlsberg spokeswoman Joanna Dring said the company had made a move, along with other creditors, to appoint receivers to take over the club.

However, she would not reveal the names of the other creditors or the name of the receivers.

She said: “Carlsberg UK does not own the British Workman’s Club in Barrow and therefore has not put the property on the market.

“Instead, Carlsberg UK, along with a number of other creditors to the club, is owed a substantial amount of money, and the decision was made to appoint receivers to market the club in an attempt to save the business.

“This is an attempt to save the club, because from our point of view the last thing we want to happen is for pubs or clubs or anyone to close down.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk