- Working men's club
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Streethouse working men's club
For miners' community, educational and social establishments, see Miners' institute.Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.
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Purpose
Despite the educational ambitions, most working men's clubs are recreational. Typically, clubs have a bar for the sale and consumption of alcohol, snooker, pool or bar billiards tables, and many provide food. They often provide entertainment such as bingo, raffles, live music and comedy. They are also known for their charitable works. In recent years, declining membership has seen many clubs close down and others struggle to remain open. Some groups try to raise the profile of clubs, pointing to their historical legacies and their community roles.
Membership and structure
A working men's club is a non-profit organisation run by members through a committee, usually elected annually. Each club has rules which tend to be vigorously enforced. The committee will discipline members (common punishments being a warning, or a ban for a period) for violations. Despite the name, women are allowed to be members in many clubs, and virtually all clubs allow entry to women. Non-members are not allowed entry unless signed in by a member.
While all members pay an annual fee, the primary income comes from alcohol. A club will retain paid staff, such as barmen, stewards, caretakers and cleaners.
Club and Institute Union
Most clubs affiliate to the Working Men's Club and Institute Union (commonly known as the CIU or C&IU). The CIU is affiliated to the Committee of Registered Clubs Associations or CORCA. A member of one affiliated club is entitled to use the facilities of other clubs. There are 2,200 affiliated working men's clubs in the UK.[1]
The CIU has two purposes; to provide a national voice for clubs, and to provide discounted products and services for clubs.
Brewery
Until 2004, the CIU ran a brewery in Dunston, Tyne and Wear. This produced ales and lagers under the Federation brand. The brewery and brands were sold to Scottish & Newcastle for £16.2M [2], although CIU clubs still receive discounted beer. These discounts are passed to members.
Impact of July 2007 smoking ban
In December 2007 a poll by the British Institute of Innkeeping and the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations found that overall revenue was 7.3% down as more men opted to drink at home where they could also smoke[3].
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Scottish & Newcastle – Financial News". Scottish & Newcastle plc. 2004-07-14. http://www.s-n.com/sn_acq/ir/finnews/rnsitem?id=1089792001nRNSN8162A. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ "Working men's clubs hardest hit by smoking ban". Daily Telegraph. 2007-12-18.
External links
- Club Historians website
Media related to Working men's clubs at Wikimedia Commons
Categories:- Clubs and societies in the United Kingdom
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- Clubs and societies in New Zealand
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