A CRUCIAL meeting of York’s biggest amateur sports club had to be abandoned because hundreds of people turned out.

York RI held its AGM at the community hall in New Lane, Acomb, but the meeting had to be abandoned because of the sheer volume of people who came through the doors – about 450 in total.

On the agenda were plans to break up the historic club into five independent charitable trusts.

The changes are being proposed at York RI, which was founded in 1889, and has 3,000 members, to avoid it being crippled by the loss of rate relief under new government rules.

President Frank Paterson said: “I regret that we haven’t reached a decision, but I’m gratified at the degree of interest shown.

“The fact that 450 people turned up for the AGM when normally we are lucky if we get 20 just shows the strength of feeling among members.”

The RI council has voted 7-6 in favour of the break-up, but the proposal still had to be put to members.

Mr Paterson said the meeting on Wednesday will have to be rescheduled for a larger venue – possibly at Queen Street – but at present no firm plan is in place.

The Press reported in February how the RI was in danger of losing £70,000 in annual rate relief, which it currently received because it was registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC).

Mr Paterson said that after March 2016, it would be too big to meet CASC criteria because its annual turnover was more than £100,000, and all such relief would therefore be lost, making the club quite unviable.

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

Mr Paterson has previously said that the following motion will be put to the AGM: “To facilitate the continuation of the sporting and cultural facilities and services currently provided by York RI it is proposed that five independent charitable trusts with similar objectives to York RI should be developed at Ashton Lane, Naburn, New Lane, Pikehills and Queen Street to hold in trust and manage appropriate assets and undertakings to be transferred to them prior to the winding up of York RI as a single legal entity.”

He said alterations to the Rules of York RI must be approved by two thirds of members present and entitled to vote at a general meeting.