One of Brighouse’s best-known clubs is set to close after a gargantuan row dating back to 2008.
Blakeborough Social and Sports Club in Bradford Road, known as ‘Blakes’ is the subject of a winding up order at the High Court dating back to August 18. It finally ran out on March 23 but the club is expected to close at the very latest by Tuesday.
The action is understood to have been triggered by the club’s failure to pay a £55,000 debt to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
But the problems started seven years ago when the committee of the cash-strapped club announced they were going to sell a separate bowling club, Albion, in Halifax Road to pay off large bills.
There was a furious reaction from the bowlers spearheaded by Andy Speechley who has run up large legal fees – getting on for a six-figure sum – in fighting the action through the courts.
Their moves ended in failure with Blakes finally given permission to sell Albion. However this never happened and the application to develop the site and build two detached houses has now been withdrawn.
When the Examiner visited Blakes on Friday lunchtime it was still open though it is only hours away from bolting its doors for good unless there is an eleventh hour reprieve.
A manager and three members of staff are aware they will lose their jobs.
A woman who didn’t want to be named, said: “I have just been in to get my son’s and his friend’s snooker cues before the locks are changed. It is all very sad.”
Mr Speechley, who is one of Blakes biggest creditors along with former secretary Andy Taylor, says there is now a glimmer of hope that the bowling club could rise again like a phoenix from the ashes.
He said: “I am in an extremely strong position to negotiate and I still reckon I can do a deal with the liquidator when he or she is appointed by the receiver though you can’t predict how this will pan out.
“But, yes, that is what I have spent five years fighting for, the reopening of the bowling club and that is my intention.”
A spokesman for HMRC said: “We do not discuss the tax affairs of identifiable taxpayers.
“HMRC’s aim is not to wind up companies but to collect, as efficiently as we can, the debts that are due, using the range of powers available to us.
“HMRC only initiates winding-up action where it believes this is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer, in respect of a particular debt.”
Peter Welch, secretary of Blakes, did not respond to a request from the Examiner for comment.
