THE social club scene in York and North Yorkshire is undergoing an upheaval. That much is clear from our survey tonight.

Some positive stories have emerged. Certain clubs are defying the trend and recruiting new members.

But other clubs face a twin threat. On the one hand, a declining membership and diminishing margins; on the other, property developers, in the words of one club steward, "circling like sharks".

One York club has been approached by developers three times in the last year.

Struggling clubs must be tempted by what are very lucrative offers. Already four have gone in York and, judging by the results of our inquiries, we should not be surprised if others follow.

It is important that we do not simply shrug our shoulders and let this happen. We have too few community facilities to ignore the loss of any more. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.

All who fear that York's social life is being harvested by house builders should take heart from two developments tonight.

The first is the ground-breaking deal between the Promenade club and Guildford Construction. They have struck up a partnership which will see a new, smaller club built on the site alongside housing.

This is a sensible compromise. However, it is not one that would necessarily work in the case of the York Civil Service Sports Club; if its many outdoor pitches were buried under new homes, hundreds of sports people would feel the loss.

The second cause for optimism is City of York Council leader Dave Merrett's intervention in the wrangle over a proposal to turn St Clement's Church Hall into housing. Coun Merrett said it was up to developers to prove that a community venue was underused.

The rigidity of planning law and the threat of expensive appeals has tended to emasculate the power of council planners. But here is a way to challenge the relentless march of the property developers and achieve a better balance between housing developments and community facilities.

Updated: 11:12 Thursday, November 21, 2002