Financial struggles force historic Lyttelton Club to close

The Lyttelton Club is closing due to declining membership and financial struggles.

After 153 years, the Lyttelton Club will close due to its declining membership and financial struggles.

After 153 years, the Lyttelton Club will close due to its declining membership and financial struggles.

In an email sent to members this week, the club’s governance team said that despite a recent appeal for support, they had received minimal response which forced them to consider the next steps.

At a special general meeting on March 16, members will vote on several key decisions, including when to close the club, whether to lease the building to a private operator, or sell it outright.

The governance team has expressed a preference for leasing the venue to preserve its legacy as a community hub, rather than seeing it repurposed or demolished. A trust may be established to manage the asset and oversee any lease agreements.

Members will also have the chance to propose any alternative ideas to keep the club going, though the current team warns that the financial situation makes this unlikely.

The meeting will determine the future of the historic building and how any remaining club assets are distributed.