Arsonists targeting disused Stoke ex-servicemen's club

A disused social club in Coventry has become a hot spot for firebugs.



Firefighters have been scrambled to reports of suspected arson attacks at Stoke Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Stoke a total of four times over the past two months.

The once popular Clay Lane venue closed its doors in January last year and developers are waiting to demolish the building.

But in the meantime fire crews fear for the safety of squatters who are sleeping rough in the empty club.

As reported by the Telegraph, the venue was hit by a severe fire in November when the first floor was damaged in a blaze, which took officers two hours to put out.

The latest incident happened on Saturday when crews were called at about 2pm to a fire..

Glenn Mayoll, crew commander at Binley fire station, says each fire puts the lives of occupants and firefighters at risk.

He said: “Crews from Binley have attended four fires at Stoke Ex-Servicemen’s club in the last two months and I’m also aware that other fire stations have also attended fires there as well.

“They’re becoming more frequent as word spreads in the community.

“It’s a real problem because there are a lot of people who are sleeping rough in the building at the moment.

“It’s an enormous site and takes a lot of time to search each of the rooms as it is a maze in there and uses a lot of our resources because we must assume there will be people inside each time.

“On Saturday we sent two appliances and nine fire officers, but luckily we were able to contain it and minimise the damage but it was time and effort we could have deployed elsewhere.”

In its heyday the club was one of the busiest working men’s clubs in the city but saw a dramatic drop in member numbers.

Huge debts of up £250,000 led to its closure last January and there are currently plans which have been submitted to Coventry City Council to transform the derelict building into a GP surgery, a dental practice and homes.

Proposals submitted by Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital could see three GP practices developed on the site with a dental practice and midwifery services complete with counselling rooms, treatment rooms, GP training rooms, a pharmacy and a large community meeting room.

An application for accommodation has been submitted by Galliford Try which includes the development of 14 houses and six apartments.

A consultation period with residents closed at the end of last month and a decision is expected to be reached over the coming months.

Go ahead for Stoke ex-servicemen's club plan

PLANS to build a medical centre and low-cost homes on the site of one of Coventry’s most popular social clubs have been given the go ahead.

Stoke Ex-Servicemen’s Club, in Clay Lane, closed last year and went on to become a magnet for arsonists.

Now Coventry City Council has unanimously approved a plan which would see the building flattened and the site used for a health centre and 20 affordable houses.

It comes after the former popular meeting place was hit by a severe fire last November.

The first floor was damaged in the blaze and it took firefighters two hours to put out.

The L-shaped “bespoke medical centre” will include nine GP consulting rooms, four treatment rooms, two dental consulting rooms, midwife and counselling facilities.

There will also be staff and office accommodation as well as a pharmacy.

Coun Hazel Sweet (Lab, Wyken) said: “The area we are talking about is densely populated that dates back to pre-war with its rows of terraced houses.

“This facility will be fabulous for the people who live there.

“People using the medical centre could attract more people to the Ball Hill shopping centre nearby.

“I believe this is a massive step forward for the people of Upper Stoke.”

In its heyday, the club was one of the busiest working men’s clubs in the city but saw a dramatic drop in member numbers.

Huge debts of up £250,000 lead to its closure last January.

The linked applications meant full planning consent was granted for the housing while the medical centre has outline planning permission.

The land, which has an overgrown bowling green at the south side, has a requirement that part of it be used for “social or community use”.

Those objecting to the development pointed to traffic problems causing “gridlock” in the Clay Lane area, and being made worse by the medical centre plan.

But council officers had deemed parking to be sufficient at the site – opposite a public car park – which will include a further 22 spaces created for staff on site.

The new centre sees three Coventry surgeries relocate to it; from Morris Avenue and two from Walsgrave Road.

The building is considered a brownfield site which the council has prioritised for housing development to avoid using green field sites.

Coun Sweet added: “It’s very pleasing to see a development that is being given over to 100 per cent affordable housing.

“It would be nice for other developers to take note. This developer is to be applauded for it.”