From the Dover Express, 20 December 2007. Report by Yamurai Zendera.

End of landmark club as popularity wanes.

A SOCIAL club which has been going for more than 30 years will close shortly after Christmas because it is not used enough.

Bosses of the Dover Three Links Club in Pencester Road have confirmed it will not reopen next year as it is not making enough money to cover the bills.

The private club has 467 members with an average age of 70 and is a noticeable town centre landmark with its distinctive red front door and name written in gold paint.

The management committee sent letters to members last year warning them to use it or lose it.

Committee chairman Pauline Philpott said: "We have got bills coming in every month and we are not taking enough money at the bar. Most people come for coffee and tea which is not enough.

"We have tried all sorts of things to get people to use it. We offered the room as a free function venue and put adverts in the local papers but nothing has changed.

"We have been using our reserves for quite a while now and we have not taken this decision lightly."

In its heyday the club had more than 1,400 members. When asked why fewer people were now using it, Mrs Philpott said: "Maybe it's because the older members don't like to go out in the evenings or the cost of taxis is too expensive."

The building is owned by The Independent Order of Odd Fellows which has confirmed it is looking for new tenants.

From the Dover Express 20 December 2007.

Missing the Links already

WITH the Dover Three Links Club set to close at the end of the year due to a lack of use, reporter YAMURAI ZENDERA asked some of its members how they feel about losing their club.

Father-of-three DAVID BIRMINGHAM, 58, has been going to the Dover Three Links Club from the moment it opened in April 1974. The civil servant said "I think it's very sad, but there's nothing we can do about it. "This is a very civilised and relaxed place to come and spend time, but now I will have to find somewhere else."

Physically disabled NIGEL CRIDLAND, 50, from River has been coming for 32 years. The father-of-three said: "I'm disgusted with it. I blame the management community. They have had no interest with youngsters coming here. "There's nothing here for them to do, but this has always been a family club. "We have only just got a pool table but it can't be used on Saturday evenings."

Mum-of-three PAULINE HALL, 63, of Friars Way has been going to the club for about 30 years. She said: "In the beginning I used to come every single day, now I only come once a week because there's nobody to talk to. "It will be sad to see it close."

Retired catering assistant JOSEPH COWAN, 76, who lives in Market Square said: "It's not very good that it will close but it is because most of the members don't use it.

You get some coming when there is something going for nothing."

Former cleaning contractor STELLA HARBOUR, of the Gateway Flats has been going to the club for about 18 months.

The mum-of-four said: "I'm disappointed. We come here to meet up with friends. Without this place we will have to find somewhere else to go.

Sales assistant KIM BRADFORD, 60, from Lydden will be disappointed to see it close. The father-of-three visits the club two to three times a week. He said: "I'm not on the committee so it's hard to know what has really gone wrong. We heard rumours it was going to happen, but it's a shame it has come to this."