A CIRENCESTER social club that has flirted with the prospect of going under after years of financial difficulty has closed its doors for the final time.

The Social and Services Club in Chesterton was repossessed by Cotswold District Council, the head landlord, on Tuesday, February 4 after failing to keep up with its payments.

People were only made aware of the closure after a repossession notice from CDC was gaffer-taped to the club’s main entrance.

A spokesman for CDC told the Standard that the club had been struggling in recent years to meet the obligations of its lease.

“This culminated last year in the council going to court to seek forfeiture of the lease on the grounds of non-payment. A repayment agreement was made via the court and arrears were brought up to date,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the club has once again failed to meet its obligation and therefore the council has enforced forfeiture of the lease and retaken possession of the site.”

The club, which paid £9,600 in rent every three months, first complained of financial difficulties in November 2010 when the owners said that not enough of its 700 members were coming through the door.

However, after a change of management and a resurgence of interest in the shape of 400 new members, the owners firmly believed that the club was heading toward a brighter future.

Cllr Roly Hughes, chairman of the Chesterton Community Project, said it was sad that there are no more public amenities left in the area.

“It is so sorrowful to see another community asset shut down. So many families in Chesterton used to go there,” he said.

“A lot of people will have fond memories of it. The committee members, who started the club, will be saddened in their graves by this.”

The club made headlines again in December 2012 when three masked raiders made off with more than £5,000 after violently attacking staff with a bar stool.