The future of a village social club at the centre of a legal dispute is set to be the focus of an annual general meeting.

All qualifying voting members of the Caister Community Association (CCA) are being rallied to attend its annual meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, October 3)and conduct business which includes voting in eight new trustees.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: A typical Saturday night at Caister Social Club before lockdown was announced. Moya Pateman, who has worked behind the bar for years, said what 'makes the club so special' is that members who don't know each other 'soon will' after attending one of their many weekly and annual events. Photo: Moya PatemanA typical Saturday night at Caister Social Club before lockdown was announced. Moya Pateman, who has worked behind the bar for years, said what 'makes the club so special' is that members who don't know each other 'soon will' after attending one of their many weekly and annual events. Photo: Moya Pateman (Image: Archant)

Caister Social Club is billing it as a bid to save the club with whoever is elected giving voice to one of two camps - those who want to save the social club, and those who want to close it.

The dispute dates back to July 2020 when, just after Covid-hit, the social club was told by the CCA to disband amid claims it was "insolvent" and owed more than £40,000.

The social club challenged the claims and remains open and trading.

A post on its Facebook page includes pictures of some of the eight staff and their families saying: "If you don't show their jobs will go."

Another post states: "We cannot stress enough the urgency to our members to attend this crucial vote".

However a letter from the Charity Commission posted on Caister Community Centre's online noticeboard outlines its decision that the social club should be kept separate from the charity.

It states: "The decision to separate the social club from CCA was a sound one.

"It is correct that a social club must not be or become an integral part of a community centre charity with a unified governance structure.

"In these circumstances, the community centre charity may put its charity status at risk.

"It is important that proper separation is maintained."

Financial statements published on the noticeboard show the social club owed over £80,000 as of January 31, 2022.

Tony Baker, chairman of Caister Parish Council, which owns the community centre in Beach Road where the social club is based, said: "There is nothing more that the council would like than to see both sides put their troubles behind them and sort their problems out so Caister can once more have a social club and charity part that works in harmony."

The meeting is at Caister Parish Hall on Tuesday, October 4, at noon.

Members must vote in person and be in the NR30 5** postcode.