A YORK social club remains "open for business" today after councillors threw out plans to demolish its present home and replace it with flats.

Members of City of York Council's city centre planning committee went against officers' recommendations and voted unanimously to preserve the Promenade Working Men's Club, in St Benedict Road.

John Guildford, of Guildford Construction, proposed to knock down the club and replace it with a three-storey apartment building made up of 12 flats.

But councillors last night rejected this plan, claiming the club constituted a "community facility" as the building was regularly hired out by community groups and for social functions.

The matter was previously deferred to get a legal view on the issue as Mr Guildford's agent claimed it was a "private members' club" and "not opened to non-members to allow functions to take place or to hire out the club".

Coun Dave Evans told the meeting that the facility was used by several groups for activities such as karate and line dancing.

"It's used by three or four groups every single week," he said.

"There is no way this is not a community facility."

Coun Derek Smallwood said: "This is still a community facility and still a working men's club and I think we should reject this plan out of hand."

An original application by Mr Guildford featuring ten flats and a smaller version of the club, established 100 years ago, never got off the ground because of a wrangle over accommodation for the club steward on the site.

Club trustee Morris Bridge said: "I'm very pleased with the decision. We want people to know that we're still very much open for business."

Guildford Construction declined to comment on the decision.

Meanwhile, plans to convert a listed building at 25 Bootham, in York, into seven flats, have been given the go-ahead.

The site had previously been used for offices.

Updated: 10:43 Friday, September 03, 2004