Tell us your memories of the Bracknell legion club and its 94-year history

Alexandra Gregg • Published 18 Mar 2013 10:00 4 Comments

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SPIRALLING costs and a lack of support from members have been blamed for the closure of the Bracknell British Legion Club.

The branch, which has had a club in the town since 1919, announced the club was in dire straits this month when president Gordon Stevens told members it has been losing money for the last seven years.

The branch and its welfare work will continue serving ex-service people and families.

Mr Stevens and the other two trustees had planned to meet auditors last week to discuss the possibility of shutting up shop permanently, but closed signs had already been put on the doors of the Stanley Walk premises last Sunday, March 10 (pictured).

Each year the club's 500 members help out with the Poppy Appeal while the Stanley Walk building also has a long history of helping the local community and hosting family events.

The club was due to be relocated to Market Street as part of the impending town centre regeneration and has been at the Stanley Walk premises since the mid-1960s. It moved there following the previous 'new town' regeneration.

What are your memories of the Legion Club in Bracknell? Did you have your wedding reception there, mark an important birthday in the building?

Or are you a war veteran who used the club as a way to socialise with other like-minded people?

Comment below or email news@bracknellnews.co.uk

This article appeared in Bracknell News 18 Mar 13

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TomEdwards
2 posts
Mar 18, 14:49
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This is very sad news .... but sadly not unsurprising. I think its a sign of the times. But there are other clubs around, the Binfield club is excellent, there is one in Crowthorne, think there is one in Camberley as well so there are still clubs around but it will mean change to people.

There is still a MASSIVE need for the EXCELLENT work that the Royal British Legion does and they should be applauded and support for what they do. One of your earlier articles mentioned that the site was going to be relocated. It would make sense therefore, if the Council stepped in to buy the site from the Legion, making the regeneration far easier to achieve! This would then help establish a large legacy fund for Berkshire, or perhaps even the Bracknell Forest area that would help current and former service men and women.

Could the extra money not being used for the relocation be used to perhaps do something for Youth Provision in the Town Centre??

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******
Mar 18, 22:54
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hazelann70
62 posts
Mar 19, 07:17
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It is a shame about this place and having read the whole story in the paper, it seemed to imply the club was only £1000 out of pocket at the end of the year. A little better management and perhaps renting a parking space out could well have been enough to bring the accounts back into the black.

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BruceDenney
46 posts
Mar 19, 07:43
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No idea what the club is or what it does, never knew about it, so not going to miss it. Speaks volumes about their ability to communicate.

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hazelann70
62 posts
Mar 19, 10:32
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Bruce, are you saying you don’t know what a British Legion Club is? I can only imagine you are of a very young age. The British Legion is a fantastic organisation who supports ex servicemen along with serving servicemen and their families and fund raise a hell of a lot of money for this. I am astonished you are unaware of this. Do you know who organises the poppy appeal? The British Legion of course. I guess it’s another sign of the times if this knowledge is not known and I am no way in an age bracket that I would call old! I really thought it was common knowledge.

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