THE last Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Association club is set to close its doors for the final time this spring.
Based in Barnard Castle, the club which was established in the early 1960s has been in decline in recent years.
Its committee has decided not to renew its lease on the premises in Horsemarket when it expires at the end of April.
Treasurer Eddie Tinkler said: “It is going to leave a hole in a lot of lives. It is certainly going to be a change. Unfortunately there were not enough customers and expenses have just been so high.
“At its height in the 70s and 80s there was a couple of dozen DLI clubs. As far as I am aware the Barnard Castle one is the last to go.”
Although the club has about 250 members, only about 100 were regulars at the club, Mr Tinkler said.
The treasurer added that young people were not being attracted to the club.
He said: “We made a small loss last year and a slight profit this year, so rather than signing up to a long-term lease that we would default on we decided to close. We should have enough to cover any liabilities we have. We will go down with flags flying, not at half mast.”
In a letter to members, the club committee said: “We have been unable to negotiate terms and conditions which would allow the club to continue on a sound financial basis and, rather than continue until the club becomes insolvent, we have decided that the club should close when the lease expires at the end of April.
“We feel the club should close by design with dignity and no debts, rather than by accident.
“To allow time for the premises to be cleared the last opening night will be Sunday, April 22.”
Mr Tinkler said the club’s successful quiz night, organised by member Andrew Nicholson, may well continue at a new venue.
Over the past four years the quiz has raised more than £6,000 for the club’s chosen charities – Great North Air Ambulance Service, The Clique, Marie Curie and the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association.
Memorabilia from the DLI Club may also find a new home at mirco-pub Firkin Alley, also on Horsemarket, which has offered to dedicate a wall to the DLI.
Tables, chairs, optics, a glass washer and an under-counter bottle fridge are among the many items that are now up for sale from the DLI Club.
Anyone interested contact the club on email dliclub68@gmail.com.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
