Hundreds join social club after vast revamp

This article published with the kind permission of the Lanchire Evenig Post
Published on Thursday 9 February 2012

While most pubs and clubs are pulling their last pints and closing forever, one club is bucking the trend.

Ingol Social Club in Whitby Avenue, Ingol, Preston, reopened in November and around 600 people have already joined as members.

Businessmen Peter Van Hinsbergh, 59, and Christopher Vaughan, 55, bought the club, which closed down last July, after a number of failed attempts to revive it.

It reopened on November 4, after 14 weeks of refurbishment work which cost around £125,000.

Mr Vanhinsbergh said: “We are really pleased with the response.

“It’s somewhere people can call their own club.

“We always knew it was a good club from its history.

“From our point of view, that was the club to come in and get, and get it back up and running again.

“It’s completely changed. When people arrived and saw it, it had the wow factor.”

The venue has a games room with darts, snooker and pool tables and teams are being invited to join.

Mr Vanhinsbergh, who lives in Cumbria, added: “A lot of the folk that have come in are so pleased the club is open.

“They’ve been getting involved, doing posters.

“They’ve got hearts of gold in them.

“There are some absolute characters.”

The club will screen football matches on a big screen, host tribute acts, comedy nights, members only nights with discounted drinks, poker nights, live entertainment and jackpot bingo.

It also has a function room which can hold 350 people and will serve a real ale cask of the month.

Mr Vaughan, 55, who previously jointly owned the club until 2006, said: “I think it goes to show that, in the right place and if the outlet is for the community and is working with them, then it will survive.

“We’re giving good value for money.

“We’d like to attract every age group, from 18 to 80.”

There are plans for Britain’s Got Talent-style events and a Michael Buble tribute act on February 25.

Phone 01772 720 055 for information on the club.

Ingol Labour Club ready to re-open

This article published with the kind permission of the Lanchire Evenig Post
Published on Friday 14 October 2011 07:48

Christopher Vaughan at Ingol Labour Club, which is going to reopen next month after a major transformation

A social club boss is hoping to win over the community when the facility reopens after a £125,000 revamp.

The Ingol Labour Club in Whitby Avenue, Ingol, Preston, closed down last July after numerous failed attempts to revive it.

But the club is now under the ownership of businessmen Christopher Vaughan, 55, and Peter Van Hinsbergh, 59, who have vowed to return it to its former glory.

Mr Vaughan, who previously jointly owned the club until 2006, said: “It is going to open on November 4. All the toilets have been gutted and replaced. We have brand new ceilings and it is properly decorated with new air conditioning and lighting.”

Neighbours, including residents of Hargreaves Court sheltered housing, were concerned about noise and disturbance when the licence was granted by Preston Council.

Mr Vaughan said: “We have spoken to the manager of Hargreaves Court and had some of the ladies and men in for a look round. We are going to put coffee and tea on and dancing for them in the day.

“There will be top class entertainment at the weekends and we will be looking at getting sports teams back, as well as functions.”

And Mr Vaughan is confident it will be a success.
 
He said: “I think it is in a great location and managed correctly, with the right entertainment on, it will be the place to be.”

After the club closed in July 2010, it became a magnet for thieves who broke into the building and fly tippers who littered the car park.