Members are excited for the future of a popular Nottingham social club which faced an uncertain future and has reopened. Members organised a summer fair over last weekend at Basford Hall Miners' Welfare Social Club, in Goldcrest Road, Cinderhill, to mark the start of the club's new era.
Chairman of the club's committee, Josie Hart, said it felt "great" to have the club back. Speaking ahead of the summer fair, she said: "I honestly can't wait for us to reopen, the summer fair is a prelude to show people that we are reopening, we have got it back and it's going to bigger and better.
"We will be a family-oriented club, you can bring your children in now. We have some lovely trustees on and they are all working to get it open.
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"It's been hard as we have had to get new bank accounts open and I don't think any of us realised what we were taking on when we took it in because everything was halted with the other trustees walking out on us. Everything has had to be started from scratch."
The club was left on the brink of extinction but has been saved by its members after months of campaigning. The future of the club was given new hope after CISWO, the charity that formerly ran it, allowed a new set of trustees to take control.
The club members and trustees have pulled together, and have also received help from members of the community and MP Alex Norris. The Co-operative and Labour MP for Nottingham North said: “This social club is crucial for the happiness of so many of its members.
"Losing it in January was a bitter blow for many and the committee have done an incredible job campaigning to get it going again. We’re nearly there and I can’t wait to join them when it opens.”
Speaking of the plans for the future, Ms Hart, who has led the campaign to save the venue, said members hoped to start taking wedding bookings and to use the venue for birthdays celebrations and conferences from next year.
"We are doing a community forum, which means we are helping the community by probably having toddler groups and we are looking to have an afternoon where single people of a certain age can come have a sandwich, a cup of tea and play bingo. We are looking at doing all sorts."
The club also hope to have some line dancing classes, a northern soul night, and Christmas parties later this year. Ms Hart added: "The club is going to be open seven days a week and it is going to be doing something seven days a week.
"Basford Miners has been there so many years and means so much to a lot of people. Now we are opening up to families they can come and see what we are up too, and it's just there for the community to use.
"If you are by yourself there is someone to talk to, everybody accepts everybody, and it's just a lovely place. I mean I've been going 25 to 28 years, it's just a lovely place and that is why we have fought to get it back open."
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