On Tuesday 15 July, a national delegation of social club members from across the UK – including Bilston Miners Welfare in Midlothian – met with Local Growth Minister Alex Norris to call for a revival of the social club movement.
Led by Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill, a longstanding advocate for the clubs movement, the delegation urged government action to support and revive social clubs as valued community spaces.
Speaking to the Minister in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, clubs highlighted the critical role these spaces play in tackling isolation, supporting wellbeing and strengthening community pride, particularly in areas hit hardest by economic decline.
A national survey of social clubs conducted by the Centre for Democratic Business found that nearly 70% of clubs have received no external support on business planning, fundraising or applications for government funding.
The Co-operative Party, Centre for Democratic Business and Kirsty McNeill MP have been jointly campaigning for a new social clubs charter to revive clubs for the 21st century.
This meeting marks the start of engagement with government on the development of a charter to support opportunities for social clubs and remove barriers to their growth.
Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill said: “Social clubs aren’t just places we go, they are places we belong. For generations, they have served as part-pub, part-music venue, part-community centre and so much more.
“Importantly, they are run and owned by their members, the people who care the most.
“Despite the decline in membership, our social club movement is full of motivated people who want to support and improve their communities. What they need now is government action to thrive.”
Co-operative Party General Secretary Joe Fortune said: “Part of the Co-operative Party’s mission is to rebuild the fabric of community life and bring back the spaces every local place should have access to.
“Our campaign to save Britain’s social clubs is about doing just that. It’s not about nostalgia, it’s about building strong and thriving communities for the future, and using the co-operative model – which many clubs already use – to do it.”
Centre for Democratic Business Co-lead Jonathan Gordon-Farleigh said: “Social clubs are a vital but often unrecognised part of our social infrastructure – places where people come together to build relationships, organise locally, and take collective ownership of their future. For over a century, they’ve offered more than entertainment: they’ve been spaces for civic participation, mutual aid and community leadership.
“Despite the movement’s well-publicised decline in recent decades, clubs continue to serve their communities with commitment, creativity and resilience. And reviving social clubs means investing in the democratic infrastructure our communities need to thrive. With the right government support – from targeted funding to a national charter – we can reimagine these spaces for the 21st century.”
