British Legion members vow to fight owners' bid to shut down club

A FIERCE battle has broken out between members at the last British Legion club in the Capital following its decision to close, with one group digging in and refusing to give up the only set of keys to the property.

• Members say they will refuse to surrender the keys of the building to

the owners

The club's committee, which is in charge of organising social and entertainment events such as bingo at the Rodney Street British Legion, is standing firm against the legal owners of the property - the Royal British Legion Scotland - and today said they were prepared to barricade themselves in the club if forced to.

But Legion leaders have hit back, dubbing the committee "squatters" and have threatened to call in police to seize the keys if the rebel group led by president Ronald Dixon, general secretary Bill Hannah and treasurer John Clark, do not surrender them.

Mr Dixon today said he was "disgusted" that the Legion, which is represented by a branch committee based at the Rodney Street club, would deprive the 400-strong membership of the last outlet of its kind in Edinburgh. He said they were fighting the branch committee in honour of the elderly ex-servicemen and their families who would have nowhere else to go at the weekend if the venue was to shut its doors. He said: "We have been told our club is finished, but as far as I'm concerned they can whistle for the keys.

"This club belongs to its members, and they rely on it. When it was bought, all of the money that went on the deposit was generated by members who came to the events we organised.

"They don't want it to close and we will fight this decision. They can get lost."

Fellow rebel Mr Hannah added: "The branch committee have been causing trouble for weeks, but we will not close unless we are literally forced to."

The Rodney Street British Legion club follows the closure of the Portobello club last March, because of falling membership numbers and dwindling profits.

A spokesman for the RBLS Neil Griffiths, today confirmed that the branch would close in two or three weeks due to its legal obligation as a charity.

He said: "The property belongs to the National Executive Council of the British Legion and because of its charitable status it can no longer trade if the club becomes financially unstable.

"Sadly this now seems to be the case. I can understand why people are upset, but we cannot pay off any debts using charitable funds. If we were to do this, we would be held liable and could end up facing court action. It means the club has got to close.

"The club officials refusing to hand over the keys are not trustees and they do not understand charity law. The branch of this British Legion will continue, but it will operate from another venue.

"I should think that the property will be sold on, although we have not decided what to do with it."

Mr Dixon and his supporters pointed out that a branch would not be a suitable alternative for most members of the Legion and said they were confident it could continue.

He said: "If only the branch is allowed to continue they could hold their meetings in a toilet, the street or at a rowdy disco. The essence of the club will be lost."

RBLS General Secretary George Ross said he would call in the authorities if the club's committee refused to give up the keys immediately.

He added: "I will call in the police to kick them out. They have no right to be there."

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