Bloxwich British Legion club to shut after 57 years

Spiralling costs and dwindling numbers have been blamed for the closure of Bloxwich Royal British Legion Club in Broad Lane Gardens.

The venue is used for bingo, meetings, indoor car boot sales and functions.

Boss Mick Butterfield said the planned closure of the building on March 31 would be a sad day for the club and the town.

The reluctant decision to call time on the popular club was made at an annual general meeting.

Mr Butterfield, who has run the club for around eight to nine years, said: "It has been dwindling for the past few years, and attendances have been down."

Currently the club has around 100 members, but at its peak it had a few hundred.

"What with the smoking ban and the increasing price of beer, a lot of people have not been coming to the clubs quite so much," he said.

"A lot of members who were in their 50s and 60s don't want to have to go outside for a cigarette.

"There's a lot of sadness about it closing but, at the end of the day, we have been facing increasing costs for things such as lighting and heating but still getting the same income.

"It's a shame really because there's quite a lot of pubs in the area which have already closed down."

Mr Butterfield said he has contacted all of the groups currently using the club building to inform them of the decision.

It is used for live entertainment, bingo and dog training, and its main room can accommodate up to 200 people.

However, Mr Butterfield said members would go "out with a bang" on its final Saturday – March 30 – by holding special celebrations.

Despite the closure, the Bloxwich branch of the Royal British Legion will continue. Harry Freeman, chairman of the branch, said it operated separately to the club and would continue to do so.

"As long as I'm here, the branch of the Royal British Legion will still be around to help ex-servicemen and their families," he said.