The future of Clacton Railway Club has been secured with the signing of a new ten-year lease.  The working men’s club has served as a social hub for all ages in the area for decades. Having weathered the pandemic, with government restrictions forcing them to close for months at a time and impacting the club financially, the staff and volunteer team who run the club faced concerns about the future of their community space.

This uncertainty was recently portrayed in the BBC1 documentary, “Belonging: The Real Phoenix Nights – Clacton”. It followed Treasurer Kelly Mann, and her efforts to secure the future of the club whilst steering it out of the pandemic. During this time, our team has worked closely with Kelly’s family to help support their efforts to save the club. This week, a ten-year lease was signed, with no rental increase, giving a much-needed lifeline to this local institution. The new agreement has cemented the club’s position in the community long term.

Kelly Mann, Treasurer at Clacton Railway Club said, “It’s been great to see Clacton Railway Club get national recognition but more importantly, to have signed a lease that keeps us where we belong in the community. The club is a place loved by friends and families and we are so relieved to be remaining in our home. We look forward to keeping another generation of locals entertained!”

Craig McWilliam, CEO at The Arch Company said: “We’ve seen the important role that Clacton Railway Club plays within the local community, and it is great news to have secured its future in one our spaces for another ten years.”

The BBC1 documentary is part of the We Are England series, offering a spotlight into communities across England. In Clacton, it highlighted the vital work the club does in supporting longstanding members with daily tasks and showcased the role the club plays in the community, from running social events for the longstanding members to diversifying into new ideas, in order to appeal to locals of all ages and grow their membership base.

To watch the documentary, visit BBC iPlayer here.