Sad farewell to QEH club
LYNN'S Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sports and Social Club closed its doors at the weekend – though it might re-form in a different location.
And the site it used, at the entrance to the hospital in Gayton Road, might now rise from the ashes to become a new education centre.
The club, in existence for more than 20 years, had struggled since 2006 when it faced a four-fold increase in its rent.
It was feared then that the 2,000-strong club would have to close after hospital administrators announced plans for the rent to shoot up from 10,000 to 43,000 a year.
The hospital, itself struggling financially, was no longer able to afford to subsidise the club which, as well as providing staff and family members with a place to relax after work, also raised thousands for charity.
Despite increasing subscriptions, the club owed 9,000 to the hospital trust and had to clear its debt or face eviction.
In a joint statement this week, the sports and social club committee and the trust said: "Everyone is sad to see the club close.
"It has been a feature of hospital life for many years.
"However, social conditions changed and the club no longer attracted the same level of support.
"As a consequence the club's management committee has decided that the club should cease operating."
The statement added decisions would be taken in the future as to whether the club might re-form in a different location.
A number of options were being considered for the future of the club building, it said, one of them being for the trust to build a new education centre on the site.
See Your Big Event on page 100 of today's Lynn News for pictures of the farewell party.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
