it's not the price of beer in clubs, it's the regimented and rigidly structured way they still go about things. Young people don't like that, so they'd rather pay more money for drink and be as raucous as they want while loud music plays.
I haven't bothered with clubs for years now, I like pubs like the Jacksons, Blacksmiths etc, there's no timetable and you don't have to shut up talking while some nannas are playing bingo.
Speaking of which, the likes of Mecca and other big bingo companies have done for a lot of clubs purely because of the prize money, and seeing as how that was the only reason for a lot of people going to the clubs in the first place, it hasn't helped the clubs' cause one bit.

Ahhhhh the halcyon days of Easington Colliery Club and Peterlee Catholic Club in the '80's
I still pay my subs and probably go in once a year....yeah you've guessed it.... to pay my subs!

How do you become a member of a club always wondered that.....

First time we went in a club, whose name I won't reveal, it was the catholic club, ..... four of us naively sat at a table in the concert room. As it filled up, we became the subject of mutterings, dark looks and an atmosphere started to manifest itself. We had sat at the table of ....'regulars'.... !!! I have never liked the places since
Driving past the Owton Manor Club a couple of years back, my eldest lad saw a load of old blokes who'd just come out and where a bit 'merry' and talking..as we approached he wound the window down and said "watch this", as we got near he waved and shouted.."JACKY"... three of the four waved... his theory being that all men over 65 are called Jacky.

Are you actually suggesting that REGULARS actually gang up or bully NEWCOMERS.
Well I never would have thought that.

We had pride though and left, we didn't hang about to see if they'd let us join.

You mean you didn't make a pun out of it, or refer to some famous person's quote in an equally famous book, or even send them a cartoon. Well done you. I'm not quite sure I would have succumbed to the pressure from the local Catholic Club Mafia so easily.
Go on, tell the whole story..............the turn was crap wasn't it?

No, I didn't..... why, does it annoy you when I do ?

No. You don't annoy me. Actually you amuse me.
I think you're nice.

Get a room you two FFS.

I had a dog like you.

Unless it bit you.........................................continuously...........................in the nether outers , then it wasn't like me.

Did you have to put it down Mr S

No, he gave it a lecture on why Gardners engines only use monograde lubrication. Straight 40. Mr Snowy wishes he was straight 40, don't you mr snowy??

A yappy little Yorkshire Terrier, it followed me every where a yapping and a barking as though it was surprised and at the same time impressed by its own squeaky little bark. I took it to the vets but he said it was the 'fool of the litter' and would just spend its time being a bloody nuisance. I was gonna have it put down but fate intervened and it attacked its own image in the wardrobe mirror and it died in its own arms, but it always did have a big, but totally misplaced opinion of itself. I do miss little Watty.

Aw..........poor little doggie.
Fool of the litter eh? And it followed you around eh? There's a clue there somewhere.

You both have a lot in common then.

I will pay you full gig fee to see that....as long as I can call the event at four minutes notice so you don't go eating owt posh. And obviously I need to film it and put it on the net.

What?

Elvis
Did you ever play the Downhill club in blunderland !!
I swear we got given two requests handed to the band.one read.play dexi's or die !! then another saying......."your vans on fire".....they wernt kidding ??
Do remember some good-uns from way back.thornaby cons, loftus big club, and a club in ashington was always a good night .....

Nowt wrong with workingmens clubs its just the old tw@ts that run em .

Nowt wrong with Working Men`s Club i go to my local 2-3 times a week.
I even have a year pass and a CIU benefits card.
Please support your local club one of the last perks for the working class to enjoy a cheaper pint.

It will be a right shame if they die out, but they do need to move with the times.

As an underage youth me and me mates used to go to the Boilermakers. Every week a shortarse committee man would chew the life out of us looking for a bite, constantly accusing us of fiddling the pool table, smoking weed in the bogs, stealing things, or generally being a nuisance.

He was in his late forties, and used to think he was quite handy. Until one week one of the lads gave him a really good knacking, so bad the bloke was crying afterwards. So that meant we couldn't drink in there any more.

The we started going to the Belle Vue as one of me mates lived round the corner. What a difference! We'd only been going in for about three weeks, and we were approached by a friendly committee man with membership forms.

We had some absolutely cracking nights in there. The patter was superb, the beer was cheap, there was never any chew, and it was one of the first place to get a big welcome to the board telly showing Sky Sports.

I was in there a few days after my 21st birthday, not long after it was refurbished and I was bought a 'top row' of spirits. It gave me a bit of 'indigestion', I was hoying up in the bogs, and an old gadgie started complaining 'Ow man, they've spent thousands doing this place up, what you playing at?'

One of my mates said 'But it's his 21st', to which the old gadgie replied 'Ah well, that's alright then, but make sure you clean up after him'.

only ever bothered with two clubs, the Engineers and the Camerons. I haven't been in the Camerons regularly now for about 4 years!! I stopped using the Engies about 10 years ago!!!!

I go in the Engies, it's good, decent beer and not too expensive. They need to get their big screen sorted out like.

I know. You can easily be seen changing your underpants behind that screen, it's nowhere near wide enough.

I do fine behind a beermat