From the Dover Express, Thursday, 19 January, 2013. 70p. Report by Jamie Rose

SOCIAL CLUB SHUTS ITS DOORS FRO FINAL TIME.

Voluntary groups upset by loss of meeting place

CLOSING: Club Dover has shut for good due to financial problems

ONE of Dover's most well-used meeting points will close it's doors following a 14-year spell in Whitfield.

This coming Sunday represents the end of the line for "Club Dover," a social club which evolved out of the former "Dover Harbour Board Social Club."

It was used by scores of different communities groups, from the Camcorder Club to Dover Lions, and has a restaurant, stage, dance floor, gym and health centre. It has been used for weddings, and hosted sessions and classes such as zumba, line-dancing, yoga, bridge, pool, skittles, bowls and petanque.

Club bosses refused to say how many jobs would be affected, but confirmed events taking place after March 31 have been cancelled. They also declined to say whether any wedding bookings had been shelved.

Some members suggested it could spell the death knell for many hobbies in Dover.

“I will be very sad to see it go,” said Alan Taylor, who used the facilities as part of the Dover Camcorder Club for more than a decade.

“We were given a very good price, and they have so many different facilities. I'm not sure where all these groups will go from here.”

Mr Taylor will be an attendant at one of the club's final events - the wake for Harbour Board stalwart Ray Skelton held today (Thursday).

“I will be saying goodbye to two things on that day,” he added.

Dover Lions' secretary Marion Baker said: “We have held our meetings at Club Dover since June 2001 - almost 12 years. It's very sad.

“We will have to find another place, but the price was good and we discuss private things - we couldn't just huddle in a corner somewhere.

“It was a really good thing for the town, and now we are running out of places.”

In a statement, the club said: “Despite many efforts made over a period of time, the continuing effects of the harsh economic climate and fall in event bookings have resulted in "Club Dover" having to take the difficult and regrettable, yet responsible, decision to close the company.

“Our thoughts are particularly with those immediately affected, and the club wishes to thank all those who have worked for and supported it over the years.”

Since the club moved from dockside premises in 1999, DHB members continued to receive discounted prices, although no legal or financial ties remained.

DOVER Harbour Board's social club was originally located in a purpose-built hall near the Wellington Dock, but was demolished to accommodate the creation of the De Bradelei shopping outlet in the old engineering workshops in Cambridge Road.

In 1998 DHB found a replacement site, and in early 1999 agreed to allow the conversion of the Army chapel building in Whitfield, opening in November of that year.

While the voluntary workforce was heavily involved, DHB provided significant six-figure investment as it progressed.

In 2006 the decision was taken to go forward as an independent company, and so "Club Dover" took on a 30-year lease with DHB.

The Harbour Board said the social club would not have lasted so long without its financial support.

From the Dover Express, Thursday, 4 April, 2013. 70p. Exclusive Jamie Rose

CLUB DONATES CASH TO 15 UNPAID STAFF

Rock'n'Roll society members raise £236

STAFF from the recently closed "Club Dover" have been offered cash from a local society after going a fortnight without receiving wages.

Generous members of Folkestone, Dover & Deal Rock ‘n' Roll Club, which used the social club's facilities for more than a decade, donated £236 from a raffle held on Wednesday night after hearing the struggling company was not able to pay its 15 staff members.

Last week the Express reported that the well-used meeting point, a feature of Whitfield since 1999, closed its doors on March 31 due to a fall in event bookings.

Club Dover manager John Britnell confirmed he and the other staff had not been paid, but said he was confident the money would arrive eventually.

He said: “Hopefully we will be, but you know what it's like when companies go bust.

“The staff haven't been paid last week or this, but hopefully we will be in April when the company is liquidated or whatever and it all goes into one big pot.

“To be honest everything is a bit up in the air at the moment.” Mr Britnell said he was as sad as everyone else to see it close.

He added: “We have been in trouble for a while as people just aren't willing to spend their money at this time.

“I have to say that my staff have been brilliant throughout this difficult time.”

Closure

Organiser of the Rock ‘n' Roll club, Pete Bradley, said he had only been informed of the closure a week before it happened.

“I've been tearing my hair out, running all over the place trying to find a new venue inside a week,” he said.

“We held our last meeting there on Wednesday and we gave the staff the profits from our raffle. They are fantastic, helpful, friendly people and we are all sad to see it close.”

Richard Christian, a director at "Club Dover," was unavailable for comment.

From the Dover Express, Thursday, 4 April, 2013. 70p. Report by Jamie Rose.

CLUBS INVITED TO HIRE BARNS

Site offered as social club shuts

A WEDDING venue is offering Dover's societies a place to meet, following Sunday's closure of the town's historic social club.

Dover couple, Colin and Jill Gough, took out a lease for the Thatched Barn at Farthingloe Farm in Folkestone Road last week.

The building already hosts weddings and parties, and now Mr Gough has left his job as a helicopter engineer at Manston airport to run the business full time. Summer weekends are already booked full with events, but Mrs Gough said she would like to provide a meeting point for local groups in the absence of "Club Dover."

The Express reported last week that the former Dover Harbour Board social club had closed due to the economic climate.

Help

Mrs Gough, who said a Bavarian night was held at the barn last week to raise money for a school in Kenya, added: “We read the article in the Express about clubs running out of places to meet in Dover and we are certainly looking to help.

“We don't have a price but we will see what they need and what they can afford.”

Pete Bradley, organiser of the 300-member strong Folkestone, Dover & Deal Rock ‘n' Roll club, welcomed the invitation.

He said: “Finding a suitable venue for our club has proved difficult and I've been tearing my hair out over it to be honest.

“We need a decent venue away from houses and Farthingloe looks good for that. I'll be talking to them.”