A BELEAGUERED social club facing closure is set to put forward a three-option plan for its future.

Escrick and Deighton Social Club, in Escrick, has been experiencing financial difficulties for a number of months.

In July, the club held a crisis meeting to raise the £4,000 it desperately needed to pay its rent arrears. More than 40 villagers attended the meeting and the necessary money was raised. A subcommittee was also formed to investigate ways of revitalising the club.

That subcommittee, headed by Liz Casling, district and county councillor for Escrick, has now reported to club secretary, Roger Wilson, with three options for the club's future.

Mrs Casling said: "The subcommittee met on Friday, and we decided to have a meeting open to all - all club members and village residents are invited.

"We're going to put three options to people: one, we close the club; two, we move the club to the new extended village hall; and three, we could close the club as it is, and reopen it as a limited company."

She said the subcommittee had estimated that it would cost more than £50,000 to refurbish the clubhouse, including the leaking roof, broken boiler, and interior redecoration.

Mr Wilson said he needed to speak to the village hall committee about opportunities for the club to set up shop at the hall, which has applied to extend its facilities.

"I want to stay at the current site, but what people need to remember is that we need the money for that," he said.

"The trouble with the club is that in the last four years, it's gone so far down in terms of membership and youngsters joining - it'll be a struggle to pull it around."

The clubhouse, located in Main Street, is held in trust by the Escrick Park Estate.

Earlier this year, landlord Charles Forbes Adam was due to put up rent on the clubhouse by more than 15 per cent, but agreed to freeze it for two years in light of the club's financial position.

The clubhouse was built by the Escrick Park Estate in 1908 as an institute for workers on the estate.