BURNLEY’S oldest social club, which has welcomed customers for more than 140 years, is to close at the end of the month.

Described as an ‘iconic venue’ by members, Fulledge Conservative Working Men’s Club, which has hosted wedding receptions, birthday parties and other celebration for generations of Burnley folk, has been sold by its owners, the Association of Conservative Clubs, (ACC).

MORE TOP STORIES:

The sale means the Plumbe Street club, which has a 110-year-old solid oak snooker table and the largest dancefloor in Burnley, will close on September 25 after a farewell party.

Peter Collins, club secretary, said: “Sadly the membership has been declining over several years and the sale of the building sealed the end of it.

“The club was essentially bailed out a few years ago when the ACC bought the building.

“The committee has since said that the club would continue until the building was sold or we ran out of money and the former has happened.

“We’re still solvent but the club will close at the end of the month.

“All the members are very proud of the place. It’s got a rich history which goes way back into Victorian times and I’m sure people will have fond memories of visiting.”

The Fulledge Club has a strong association with Northern Soul, with a popular monthly night attracting enthusiasts from across East Lancashire.

However day to day trade at the club, which has a lounge, games room and function room has been falling in recent years.

Mr Collins said those at the club had not been told who had bought the premises and what it would be used for in the future.

The club has a rich history, it was opened after six local men, who wanted a place to talk politics, bought a small former school building on the site for £450.

In 1908, the members demolished the old building and built the present large assembly hall, which was opened on April 17, 1909.

During the First World War, 77 members went to fight, three of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice.

A measure of its social significance was demonstrated during a miners’ strike in 1893, when the club’s committee gave five shillings a week to colliers who were members.

For the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, the club opened all day for a week and beer was reduced to a penny a pint.

In 1977, the club’s centenary was marked with all prices dropped to seven pence.

Mr Collins said: “On Saturday, September 17 we are holding a farewell party in the function room.

“We will have DJs playing every music genre. There will be forties sing along, rock and roll, all the sixties favourites, seventies Motown northern soul and glam, eighties new wave and rock, nineties rave and club and everything 2000s.

“We start at 8pm and its free entry.

“It’s going to be a long night who knows when we will finish but were going with a bang.”

Crystal Butler has been the club steward for the past nine years.

She will lose her job with the closure along with an assistant and several part time bar staff.

She said: “It’s a sad time. The members here are simply the best.

“They are not customers to me they are all friends.”

Councillor David Heginbotham, is the leader of the Burnley Conservatives, who had an office upstairs at the premises.

He said: “Sadly this is a sign of the times with so many pubs and clubs closing.

“People have enjoyed this iconic club for generations but the trade is declining.

“We will lose our office there and we are looking for new premises in the town.”

David Cross, who has in the past provided entertainment at the club, said: “Devastated is not the word, it’s really sad news.

“For four years I had the privilege of providing the karaoke entertainment every Friday night.

“We had some fantastic evenings with Pete and various other famous northern soul DJs.”

Steven Greenwood, responded to the announcement on the club’s Facebook page.

He said: “I spent my first drinking years at Fulledge Club with other good friends.

“I have a lot of good memories.

“I always loved the calm atmosphere, the well mannered folk, customers, employees and committee members alike.

“I never had a bad experience in all of the years I spent drinking there.

“Thank you for giving me some great memories.”