The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Sadness as popular sports club closes
Final goodbyes paid by upset members
Members of a Peterborough sports club have said a sad goodbye after it closed its doors for the final time.
A farewell bash was held at the Parkway Sports & Leisure Club in Lincoln Road, New England, on Sunday after it was bought by the nearby Thistlemoor Medical Practice which will turn the clubhouse into a car park.
The club, which has been sold by the Parkway PSL Ltd, has played host to Peterborough Sports FC, as well as a number of darts, crib and snooker teams.
Long-time member Paul Venters, who first visited in 1981, and whose dad managed the club for 15 years, said: “It’s a huge disappointment and loss to the members and local community alike that the Parkway committee have taken the sad decision to sell a long-standing drinking establishment in the PSL.
“The PSL has long been involved in charity days, supporting the Remembrance service, OAP Christmas lunches, pool and darts teams, along with general goodwill to many local societies/groups, including Westwood Musical Society and Peterborough Sports FC, all of which will now have to look at other arrangements.
“Even on its last day of opening which was very well supported it handed over £600 to charity.
“The loss of this longstanding facility, the patronage of which is significantly higher than other establishments in the area, will be felt strongly.
“The bar staff and stewards, some of whom have over 30 years of service onsite, have done a tremendous job under difficult circumstances and have been kept in the dark until very recently.
“Life moves on, change happens, but sometimes not for the right reasons or the best interests of the community as a whole.
“This will affect a lot of people for a long while.”
Sue Gilgan (62) from Eastfield Road worked behind the bar for 30 years and said she had “loved every moment of it”.