CLUB-GOERS are worried about the fate of a building in the shadow of a planned huge leisure centre.

A proposal from Apollo Leisure to build a giant leisure complex in Moreton Street, Accrington, next to the King Street Working Men's Club was revealed last week.

It was the second proposal for the site from the company. If it gets the go-ahead, it will include a four-screen cinema, bowling alley and family pub.

When the first application was submitted, Apollo bosses contacted club officials to ask if they would be prepared to sell the club if the development was approved.

And after the second application, club members say rumours are again rife that Apollo are set to buy the King Street building.

But club secretary Bill Armstrong said that Apollo bosses had not been in touch in the past 18 months to confirm this was again their intention. He said that he had tried constantly to get in touch with someone at the company and their solicitors but to no avail.

He accused Apollo of keeping club members in the dark.

Mr Armstrong said: "We are all concerned for our future and are beginning to get a bit annoyed.

"There are rumours flying around that we have sold and that we are closing down. But the only time we've been approached by Apollo was 18 months ago.

"If they offer us the right price and can come up with a different town centre location, we would consider moving.

"We are angry because everything is up in the air and no one is telling us what is happening."

King Street Working Men's Club has more than 600 members and has been in existence for 104 years, meeting in the same building,

A spokesman for Apollo Leisure cinema division said no-one would be available to comment about the proposal until Monday.

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