D-Day set for Halesowen club (From Halesowen News)

D-Day set for Halesowen club

11:08am Friday 5th December 2008 in Local

Campaigners fighting to save a Halesowen sports and social club will discover its fate next month.

Members of Somers Sports and Social Club are locked in a court battle with trustees who are attempting to gain a possession order of their 250-year-old headquarters - The Grange.

Following a brief hearing at Birmingham County Court yesterday afternoon the case was adjourned until Friday January 23 - when a decision will be made.

Members say the club is doomed if trustees are successful in obtaining the order and club chairman Paul Hill said they were determined to keep fighting.

Speaking after yesterday’s hearing, Paul said: “Things are really coming to a head now, half a day has been set aside for the next hearing and we can expect a decision on the day, it’s all or nothing.

“We have done nearly everything we can to stop this.

“If they take possession of The Grange the club will cease to exist, there’s no argument about that.”

Club members also believe the trustees - WSEF (Walter Somers Employees Fund Ltd) and Cheltenham based solicitor Brian Rook - will sell the land for housing if they succeed in obtaining the order.

The land is thought to have a market value of £10million.