One of Fife’s best-known institutions, the Bowhill War Memorial Club in Cardenden, has closed suddenly after it had its electricity supply cut off.
The shutters came down at the Station Road premises at the weekend after the supply company refused to allow any more time to pay an outstanding bill of around £10,000. Now committee members are battling to try to open the club this weekend, with hiring a generator one possibility that is being looked at.
Around 12 people have lost their full and part-time jobs as a result of the closure.
Club chairman Neil Chatham said, “We have been trying to negotiate with npower to accept a payment plan over six to eight weeks. We were still hoping to reach an agreement on Friday afternoon, but they totally refused and disconnected us.
“Now we’ve been left in a catch-22 situation they won’t reconnect us until we pay, but we can’t pay unless we can open and get some money coming in. We are hoping to be open for Saturday again and are looking at a number of things, including hiring a generator.”
Local councillor Margot Doig, who has been a member of the club for many years, said, “It’s been struggling for a few years now and they have been looking at other ways of making money, but things have just got too much.
“Very few clubs are surviving these days and only the CISWO in Glenrothes seems to be doing okay, although they have charitable status. There were two events planned over the weekend, an event in the Harmony Hall on Saturday night which would have proved popular with the older folk and a live band on Sunday which again would have brought in lots of people, but the management clearly had to close before they go ahead,” she said.
Councillor Doig believes a change in people’s social habits, including much more drinking at home, especially by young people, is largely to blame for the downturn.
“They are sitting at home and having a few drinks before coming along to the club. The young ones often wouldn’t arrive until 11 pm and didn’t spend very much money once they were there.
“The club used to have a big membership, but it’s been declining and many people now just pay at the door for events.”
She continued, “This is a disaster for Cardenden. Where are people going to go? It’s very expensive for people to go elsewhere and the club was a big part of the community.”
Local man Alex Burns, said, “The only thing I can say is that it would be a big, big loss if it does close for good because it’s the hub of the community. A lot of older people go in there for their meals and that sort of thing as well during the day, so it would be really missed if it went.”