BRITISH Legion members have thrashed out a deal to keep the Loudwater club alive.

Peter Rolt, the new branch chairman, said members have agreed a deal over rent arrears and the Queensmead Road club “will not be closing”.

The business and social side of the Loudwater Legion is run by the club, while the Loudwater branch, which owns the building, provides support for ex-servicemen.

Mr Rolt said the club had not managed to keep up with rent payments to the branch, but said a two year time frame was agreed on Monday night to get payments back on track.

He added: “The club will be making more effort to get people using it.”

Tony Bubb, the club chairman, was unavailable for comment yesterday, but said last week there were no reserves left and the club is running on a limited overdraft from the bank.

He added: “We can hopefully come up with a rescue package so that we can salvage it.

“It's all well people complaining when something closes but we need more local support and for people to use the place.

“I shall give it my all, but it's a case of use it or lose it.”

* Loudwater Legion members recently attended the funeral of Fred Day. He was a former branch president and died on July 7.

Mr Day, who was 84, built the Loudwater Legion with other members in 1972 and has a room named after him.