Neighbours have said it is the "end of an era" as an iconic club is knocked down.
The Royal British Legion on Liverpool Road South in Maghull is being demolished to make way for retirement living apartments. The site has been empty since 2020 and the new development, being built by McCarthy Stone Retirement Lifestyles Ltd, will now provide 44 one- and two-bed apartments.
Plans to replace the derelict club in Maghull where rejected by Sefton Council in 2021 after councillors described the designs as “aesthetically unpleasing”. However the development was backed by Maghull Town Council after a revised plan was submitted addressing the issues Sefton Council had with the building.
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The demolition of the Royal British Legion has evoked strong memories in the local community, where many remember the building fondly. In a post on a local Facebook Group one woman said: "Morris Dancing , worked behind the bar, also had my 21st there. Then unfortunately had both my parents funeral there hopefully it’ll make some happy homes."
One person commented: "End of an era. So many memories of times spend Morris dancing, parties, working, buying presents for kids parties, meeting up with parents for a dance to the fabulous musicians, and sadly funerals too. So sad that RBL took so much rental but never paid to modernise. Was so good in its hey day."
Another said: "Had some great nights there. I remember them having a type of karaoke where the compere used to give you a letter of the alphabet and people got up and sang. Whoever had the secret letter won a prize. Also had some great singers and comedians on then dancing the rest of the night. Great days. "
The new designs include a more sympathetic frontage, a reduction in the height of the building and reducing the shadowing effect to neighbours. The plans were finally approved on the 30th June 2022.
A spokesperson from McCarthy Stone said: “Maghull is a vibrant town with a rich community life, that’s one of the reasons McCarthy Stone want to redevelop this site, to enable more local elderly people to stay in the area they love in a property more suited to their needs. The Club has been vacant since early 2020 and our proposal will bring this derelict site back in to use with new homes that will support the local economy and provide a type of specialist retirement accommodation that there is a desperate need for in the area.
“Once complete, we are confident that our development will become as integral to the local neighbourhood as the former club once was.”
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