Debts force the closure of Eastleigh social...

STANDING in darkness, boarded up and on the brink of extinction.

It is hard to believe it was once at the heart of celebrations to welcome home returning heroes from the horrors of the First World War.

Eastleigh is set to lose a piece of its history now that the Comrades Club has gone into liquidation after mounting up debts of more than £160,000.

Since the club was set up in 1922 to offer ex-servicemen a venue to get together, it has become the centre of community life, such as hosting a number of events for the Eastleigh Carnival.

Now the building in Leigh Road could be demolished to make way for new housing.

The club’s fate was sealed after losing out against competition from bars and clubs, coupled with a diminishing trade from its 450 members.

With the debts rising, members had no choice but to make the difficult decision to go into liquidation and use the sale of the freehold building to pay off its creditors.

Its prime location in the centre of town and its development potential is expected to catch the eye of developers, eager to use the site for its maximum financial gain.