YORK'S biggest amateur sports club will fold unless it makes radical changes, its president has warned.

Frank Paterson said York RI, founded in 1889 and with 3,000 members, is threatened by new Government rules which will strip it of £70,000 in annual rate relief.

He said members played sports and activities including badminton, squash, golf, bowls, football, rugby, music, shooting and sailing at locations across the city, including its Queen Street headquarters, Pikehills Golf Club at Copmanthorpe, sports pitches at New Lane, Acomb, bowling greens in Faulkner Street, Holgate, a rifle range at Hessay and the Ouse at Naburn.

He said the the club currently benefitted from £70,000 per annum in rate relief because it was registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC).

But a change in the rules by the Government meant it would be 'too big' to meet CASC criteria after March 2016, because its annual turnover was more than £100,000, and all such relief would therefore be lost.

"We are only just breaking even and losing that would make the club quite unviable," he said.

"We are approaching a crossroads and the structure and direction must change. Doing nothing is not an option."

He said Initial research had indicated a range of possible options. One would be for the RI to split into different sections, while a second would be for it to be turned into a charity and have a trading enterprise. A third option would be to try to continue as it was as a sports club but with a trading company .

Mr Paterson said a detailed evaluation was needed of all the options but the committee was struggling and he appealed for other members with the knowledge and skills to come forward to help out.

"The RI was originally set up by the railway companies for railway staff in the 19th century and they continued to be involved until the 1980s, with railway management giving the club their expert help.

"But since then, it has had to stand on its own and it now needs help from its own members if it is going to survive.

"I believe there will be members who have knowledge and skills which could be harnessed to help determine what is the most appropriate route to follow."

He said an informal discussion would be held at 7.30pm on Thursday February 26 at the clubhouse at New Lane, Acomb.

"From that meeting I would hope there will emerge a nucleus of members willing to give their advice, knowledge and skills to help guide York RI through the changes."