SALINE residents have been urged to make more use of the village’s golf club – or face the threat of losing it.

That was the warning from Saline and Steelend Community Council after the club held an open meeting for its members last month.

They were told that unless changes were made to its operation, it could face critical financial problems.

Around 100 members of the community attended the meeting and were given copies of the club’s audited accounts, which showed that it had made a net profit of just £2581.96 on a total turnover of more than £200,000 in a nine-month period.

While it was stressed that the club, which has 165 full members, was solvent, the auditor selected by the committee warned that if it “continued to operate in its normal habitual way”, income would fall below expenditure in “a relatively short space of time”.

But there was “time to take action to safeguard against a slide into insolvency”, the auditor added.

Community leaders hope that non-golfers will join as ‘social members’ and help retain what they say is the only social hub left in the village after the closure of the Saline Hotel in 2008.

John Crane, chair of the community council, said, “There was a good attendance at the meeting of around 100 people, which shows that people are concerned.

“It is very important because since we lost the hotel, the golf club is the only place in the village available to socialise and have a drink.

“It is not in debt at the moment but the club’s new treasurer, Alan Monk, projected ahead and it’s only a matter of time unless we increase the income. At just £10 for an adult and £4 for an OAP, a social membership is not a lot money and we are hoping to rally around the club and keep it going.” Local councillor Bobby Clelland said, “The club is in the same position of others in that it is suffering from a decline in numbers but the good thing is that they have identified the situation and are trying to do something about it.

“We are trying to make people aware of the club and that they can come and have lunch and take in the views, which are fantastic. You don’t have to be a member to use the facilities but we hope that after a couple of visits they would look to become members.

“The community council are well aware that we have lost facilities in the village like the hotel and the golf club committee; the community council and ourselves are working together to make sure that it stays open.”