Former legion club runs dry

6:30pm Tuesday 20th February 2007

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A NORTH Cotswolds social club has been forced to close its doors in the latest round of the ongoing row between the local branch of the Royal British Legion and the former legion club.

Moreton-in-Marsh Community Club, formally the RBL club, had its club licence certificate formally withdrawn this week after Gloucestershire police showed it was not operating within its own rules.

At a meeting of Cotswold District Council's licensing committee councillors heard how the ongoing conflict between the RBL branch and the club had left the popular centre in Station Approach without a set of rules.

The national RBL revoked the club's legion affiliation last year after claims of underage drinking and anti-social behaviour. This left the club without a firm set of rules.

Gloucestershire police argued this led to the club breaching the terms of its club licence certificate by operating without rules, not taking subscriptions for membership and allowing non-members in.

Paul Trott, the force solicitor, said: "We have no query with the RBL branch, we support the good work it does. Our query is with the club and the way it is being conducted."

"It should be closed for the good of the community in order to prevent the kind of disorder we have seen."

Club chairman Dave Johnson confirmed no membership fees were being paid.

CDC ward member for Moreton Ben Jeffrey spoke in support of the club.

He said: "It really is the community point of my town. As far as I am aware it is run in a satisfactory way. I sympathise with them because there have been one or two incidents which have come to the attention of the police."

He said the club contributed a great deal to the Moreton community and it would be a great loss if it were to close.

After the meeting Mr Johnson said he was shattered by the decision but added the police had given him and the club committee a fair hearing.

He is now hoping to secure a premises licence for the club which will allow it to reopen by the end of March, essentially operating as a pub.