‘WE NEED NEW BLOOD’ SAYS NEW HIGH STREET MEMBERS’ CLUB
Former members of the Royal British Legion club in Teddington tonight voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new ‘interim committee’ leading the drive to attract new members to the newly-formed Cambridge House private members’ club.
About 40 people turned to the Special General Meeting to hear plans for the new club from interim treasurer Matt Corrigan and interim Chair Tony Abbott including war veterans who were long- term RBL supporters.
There is still a degree of confusion about the actual ownership of the four-storey building in the High Street despite in-depth investigations through lawyers, archives, land registry documents and club records.
But the immediate plan is for the Club to be closed for the next 48 hours to facilitate tidying up and internal decoration and then to host a ‘grand opening’ on Friday evening at 5pm.
Both men urged the attendees to ‘draw a line’ on past events and to focus on saving the club for the community and launch a campaign to attract new members and ‘new, younger blood.’
Tony Abbott, who is ex-military and keen to maintain a close link with the Royal British Legion’s branch through the new club, said: “We are building in oversight to ensure this new club is run properly and responsibly.”
He told the meeting the new committee wanted to keep the club ‘going for the community’ and the club needed to take at least £180 over the bar every day to pay the staff.
Matt Corrigan said: “We want to play an active part in Legion activities like Remembrance Sunday and we will not be forgetting the Legion’s history with the club which dates back to 1933.”
Over the next three months new individual members will be able to join for £20 a year and couples will pay £30 but after that membership fees will rise, said Tony Abbott. “We need money in the bank,” he added. Guests will pay £1.
Matt Corrigan revealed that the new club had already received donations and there were significant plans for events like private hire which may help generate new revenue streams.
It is also hoped that during a time of economic challenges the price of a pint in the club – sometimes nearly £2 cheaper than in a nearby pub – will be a key factor in building up a new membership base.