A row has broken out between members of a Belfast social club and the authorities in the parish where it is based over plans to close the club down.St Malachy’s Social Club, in the south of the city and near St Malachy’s church, had been in operation for 33 years and had 110 members.
But its members have blamed the local parish for bringing about its demise, while the parish has said the closure was a decision of the club management itself.
The club members, who, along with their families, use the cub as a social venue, say that it is a, “vital resource,” for the local community, and the parish has ignored pleas for a rescue plan to be devised to save it.
The community was particularly annoyed to read a parish notice that claimed the move to wind up the facility was taken by the club itself.
Club member spokesman Peter Scullion said members were aware that it faced, “financial difficulty in the current climate,” but said they wanted, “breathing space to see if a rescue plan could be put together.”
“However, we were furious when we saw this was being denied to us, and to rub salt in the wounds, the church is saying we took the decision; this just simply isn’t true and we’re amazed they are claiming this,” he said.
“We aren’t oblivious to the financial reality, and if we were able to carry out a financial plan and saw that the club just wasn’t viable anymore, then we’d be the first to admit it.” But, he said, no such analysis took place and he claimed members’ letters to the parish, “went unanswered.”
However, these claims were flatly denied by the diocese of Down and Connor, which, in a statement, reiterated that the closure decision was taken by the club itself.
“We know that it is a decision that the club management has not taken lightly,” the statement said.
“The parish over the years has always encouraged the club to review its financial situation, especially during the current recession,” it continued.
The diocese said that St Malachy’s parish had “also taken various initiatives to financially assist the club, including the negotiation of a substantial rates rebate, a rent-free period of two years and a significant rent reduction for the current financial year.”
However, it claimed, despite these initiatives, “It is our understanding that the club was unable to generate sufficient funds to keep it solvent.”
Because of this, the diocese statement said, the officers of the club had, “advised the parish of their decision to close.”