‘There’s been zero contact’

‘‘I’m lucky I’ve got other sources of income. For people who rely on these jobs, to find out their livelihoods are in jeopardy by word of mouth or social media, it’s pretty poor. Undervalued is an understatement.’’

The Clubs of Marlborough amalgamated the Blenheim Workingmen’s Club, the Marlborough Club and the Returned and Services Association, and included a restaurant and bar, sports lounge and function rooms. The complex was built for $18 million in 2007 and reported a "very successful’’ first year registering five new members a day. It also won top honours in the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards in 2011.

But the club had suffered financially since 2013, with reduced access and car parks as the ASB Theatre Marlborough was built next door.

An operational review prompted refurbishment hoped to attract new members in 2016, with the TAB Lounge being replaced by a children’s area hoped to appeal to young families. Despite an upturn in business after the theatre opened, retaining memberships had been an ongoing challenge.

A letter sent to members on May 25 said the Club had been severely affected by the forced closure over lockdown, and restrictions made it ‘‘impractical and uneconomical’’ to reopen.

An independent adviser had been brought in to restructure the Clubs to reconfigure the business to ‘‘conform with modern business practise’’, the letter said.

‘‘We will reopen the Club after the Government announces a relaxation of its current level two restrictions if it is financially viable to do so.’’