Britain's Oldest Working Men's Club Forced To Close

[joeluke]

What a shame for it's members, and just because they don't allow women to members

I've lived in a northern town which had a WM club. Women could become 'associate members' (were allowed into the club if accompanied and signed in by a member). So what's the problem? It's not as if they don't let women in is it?

They're a place where men can go to get a cheap pint and have a game of pool, darts, snooker, or shuffle a few dominoes around a table - without having the hustle, bustle and noisy music of a pub.

Don't think many women (other than wives/partners of members) would want to drink in a WM club anyway, they're hardly you're average pick-up joint!

Equal rights strikes again

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2563647/Hanging-flat-caps-time-Britains-oldest-working-mens-club-forced-close-members-refuse-admit-women.html

[emmie]

women Freemasons

http://www.owf.org.uk/

[Baldric]

///246 out of the 300 members refused to change with the times and voted to close the club forever///

Dinosaurs

[emmie]

its been a battle to get women the rights to join in these type of establishments, like men only golf clubs, daft really as in their case it's closed.

[ichkeria]

They only have themselves to blame.
There was, it seems, a simple way out of the problem and they refused to take it. I feel sorry for the people who voted for change but were outnumbered

[emmie]

no they can't, all done by secret ballot as well by the looks of it

[DaisyNonna]

Why does joeluke assume that women are interested in a pick up rather than just a drink if they go out?

[craft1948]

I became an associate member of the local Conservative club (which famously didn't let Margaret Thatcher in because she was female) as I played table tennis for them................I wasn't allowed to play snooker.

[emmie]

the Bullingdon club doesn't need a grant, i just said that they don't admit women, so another waste of space.

[emmie]

the people.

[ummmm]

The deciding factor of my mum buying the house she did was the WMC opposite with a snooker table. She was horrified when she went in and they said that women are not allowed to use the snooker table.

My mum was a pool champ and thought she'd take up snooker (she'd beat everyone at pool)...their loss..

ps my mum doesn't drink or smoke....she just plays pool.

[ToraToraTora]

not like the DM to get it wrong! they closed for economic reasons not legal ones, the lottery refused a gramt fair enough but there are no "equality laws" or they's have been operating illegally. There are still many men only clubs in the country, i'm pretty sure they are legal.

[emmie]

perhaps this gives a clearer picture.
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/editors-picks/2014/02/19/telford-club-is-calling-last-orders-for-final-time/

[emmie]

It has also fallen foul of rules set up to ensure that both men and women benefit from any funding for which it is able to apply. Because the club does not offer equal rights for both sexes, it does not meet the criteria to apply for grants to maintain the Grade II listed building.

[Quizmonster]

Locally, there is a breast-feeding support group/club where mothers and babies can meet informally to discuss the problems and/or delights of the process and receive 'hands-on' training in how to carry it out effectively.
Is there any good reason why I - an adult male - should have an application to join forbidden? I'm sure it would be, so, I can't see how MEN'S clubs should be obliged to have WOMEN members.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't have a problem with 'only' groups/clubs/meeting etc - however when it comes to saving your organisation then think really hard or roll over and submit like they have done here.

[emmie]

they could have their cake and eat it, they chose not to.