One of the problems is that the CIU are heavily supported up North. Many times admitting women as full members was put to the CIU, but the Northern delegates rejected it.

If they won't move forward with the times they're signing their own death warrant.

I'm a member of a club in Stratford, and it's been struggling for years. Like you say, Rebbonk, things have moved on. With the club I'm with, a lot of the original membership have passed away, any nobody's replaced them.

The world has moved on. Working-mens clubs have had their time, but in many cases their decline is their own fault.

I was at a local CIU meeting a few years back and all the club secretaries were complaining about the price of beer. I stood up and told them that the answer was in their own hands and that those in that room could put a stop to it if they stopped all their secrecy and shared what they were paying for beer. I also suggested that they get together and place one order between the lot of them to take advantage of bulk buying. Whilst many agreed with me, many wouldn't play the game. The rest is history!

A shame, but if the club's not used it's going to go out of business: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/bedworth-working-mens-club-goes-11448279