Royal British Legion bosses call time on Verwood Legion

Despite a massive programme of work to make the case for keeping the Verwood New Legion Club open, the London-based trustees of the Royal British Legion (RBL) have confirmed that the club will close in mid-February, 2010.

The “Save The Legion Campaign” had spent a huge amount of time, money and effort in putting together a detailed Three Year Business Plan demonstrating the club’s ability to be run profitably.  Despite professional input and a commitment to increasing local charitable support, the plan – delivered exactly on time to the Legion Trustees, as requested - couldn’t shift them from their closure stance.

“The RBL’s decision to close the club is extremely short-sighted” says chair of the club’s recently-formed management committee, Brian Giddings. “All the way through our negotiations with RBL head office, it became increasingly clear that we were setting the agenda and fighting possible closure against a background of centralised apathy and a total lack of interest in the implications of closure for the local community. It’s disastrous news - for the club, for the hard-working staff and for the residents of Verwood and its surrounding areas.”

The Moorland Road club premises – expensively refurbished only three years ago – will be shuttered and left empty. As a result, the growing 16,000+ community of Verwood loses yet another of its few social amenities, and waves goodbye to the excellent, inexpensive facilities enjoyed by local groups and residents.

“I feel so sorry for those groups that have supported our work,” says Alan Dorey, founder of the Save The Legion Campaign. “Whether it's sports clubs, the U3A, disabled groups or members hiring the facilities, there‘s now a massive hole in the heart of Verwood. Once the club goes, it’ll be pretty much impossible to replace it.”

At a time when the Legion’s charitable work has a greater focus and awareness than for many years, this particular closure is unnecessary and unwarranted. “The risk to the Legion in leasing the premises to us,” concluded Brian, “would be minute; the gain to the community would be huge. Now, that chance is lost for good. We’ve all tried our hardest, and we sincerely thank everyone who helped, and believed in a positive outcome.”

The fate of the club has been blamed on the economic downturn, changes in drinking habits as well as the smoking ban.  The Royal British Legion will offer the Verwood site for sale.  A spokesperson from the RBL said, “The closure decision will serve to ensure that the Legion makes best use of its resources to continue to safeguard the interests of the Serving and ex-Service community.”