New Club Launched in Effort to Survive

Dear Sir,
The Royal British Legion Club (Ltd) is disaffiliating (withdrawing) from The Royal British Legion organisation. Over the years, since the Newton Aycliffe Branch of the RBL was formed (1958) subscriptions have been taken yearly and sent to head office.
When the Club was built and officially opened (1962) these subscriptions are still being taken by the Branch and all of the money collected is sent to Head Office, and no remuneration has ever come back into the Club.
Their rules insist a member must first join the Branch, £17.50 joining fee, before they can join the Club. We find these rules restrictive for new members who only want to join the Club.
The members have reluctantly made this decision to try and get more money coming into the Club and taking subscriptions ourselves, which will be £5 + £1 donation to a forces charity, and be an income we have never had.
The Club is losing money on a weekly basis as, like any pub or club, we are finding it difficult to get members. So no matter how distasteful to some people this decision is, we need to lose the Royal  British Legion tag before we lose the Club altogether.
Our solicitors have advised us not to use any part of The Royal British Legion logo for the name of our Club, for legal reasons, therefore over the past five weeks our members have been voting on a new name “The Phoenix Club (Ltd)” has been chosen.
Subscriptions for the Club, both men and women, who will become full members, will be taken at the Club and, not like the Branch, wanting members to pay by direct-debit or at a pay-point.
So please all you members out there, and prospective new members, remember it’s only £6 to join. Come along and pay your subscriptions and help the Club survive.
Tommy Palmer
Club Secretary.

legion club