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Oct 2023

Last Updated: 13/10/2023

Community

Starbeck Working Men's Club changes name in 'family-friendly' move

by John Grainger

| 14 Oct, 2023

Now known as the Forest Club, Starbeck Working Men's Club is working to change the name officially by the end of the year, and in the meantime will be developing a new website, email and logo.

Starbeck Working Men’s Club (WMC) has become the latest social club in Harrogate to change its name.

Now known as the Forest Club, it was founded in 1901 and has played a pivotal role in community life ever since.

The newly rebranded club does everything the WMC did, but members felt they should move with the times and voted overwhelmingly to rebrand at the club’s annual general meeting back in April.

The club is working with the CIU (Club and Institute Union) to change the name officially by the end of the year, and in the meantime will be developing a new website, email and logo.

Club secretary Catriona Patterson said:

“People have an image of what a Working Men’s Club is, and we’re not that – we’re trying to distance ourselves from it.

“We want to be more family-friendly. We’ve got a large function room, which we’ve used for big family events such as the King’s coronation and a beach party on the August bank holiday.

“We’re planning to hold another big one on New Year’s Eve, with games for the children and a big screen showing the countdown live from London. People often struggle to get babysitters on New Year’s Eve, so this will allow the whole family to come out and celebrate.”

She said the name change was a response to a wider cultural shift that has seen many licensed premises – including Working Men’s Clubs – fall victim to the growing trend for home drinking, exacerbated in part by increases in beer duty. She said:

“Covid hit us hard, and habits changed – people just don’t go out as much as they used to – so we had to do something.

“There isn’t a Working Men’s Club in the country that isn’t struggling, and we need to attract younger members. A name-change will help bring us into a new era.”

But she stressed that the Forest Club was not about to lose touch with its roots as a Working Men’s Club with over a century of service to the community. She said:

“We’re rebranding our lounge as the Heritage Lounge, and we’ll be keeping all the old WMC memorabilia there. It’s an important part of our history, and we shouldn’t forget it.”

The Forest Club’s name change, which reflects its location in the ancient Forest of Knaresborough, is part of a wider trend. Last year, Bilton Working Men’s Club slimmed its name down to simply Bilton Club, and a few months later, High Harrogate Working Men’s Club on Skipton Road rebranded to High Harrogate Bar and Lounge.

Working Men's Clubs were first created in the mid-19th century, predominantly in industrial areas outside the south of England, to provide recreation and education for working-class men and their families.

There are several in our district, including those in High Harrogate and Bilton, as well as Harlow Hill Club, Knaresborough WMC, The Oatlands, and Boroughbridge Social Club.

The Forest Club will be holding a Disco Inferno night of 70s, 80s and 90s disco classics – for members and non-members – on Saturday, October 28 from 7pm till late.

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Starbeck Working Men's Club changes name in 'family-friendly' move

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