A social club has said it will be homeless if the Co-op goes ahead and moves from the Colchester building where it holds meetings.

Bill Mitchell, who is the chairman of the Co-op Employees Club, said it has been told the Co-op wants to vacate the building in New Town Road.

He said the club has probably the cheapest membership fees in Colchester at just £5.20 a year.

It has more than 100 members and has been meeting at the building for more than 30 years.

He said: "We have got a lot of old people who use it. It's a place where they can get together.

Mr Mitchell said the club wanted to fight the move as it wants to stay in New Town.

He said the building is also used by a playgroup, the Buffaloes charity group, the Unison public services union, and a choir which practises there.

Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society has served notice to the club to bring its commercial lease to an end and the Co-op has written to existing users of the hall to advise them to find alternative venues when the site is vacated in 2004.

The Co-op has decided to develop the site for housing after the member relations office moved out to the head office in Eld Lane.

There are 20 different groups currently using the building.

A spokesman for the Co-op said members will benefit from the revenue raised by the development.

He added: "While we regret the inconvenience to our users and business occupiers, we hope that by providing as much notice as possible we will enable them all to make a smooth transition to another location."

Published Tuesday, July 1, 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette