A Royal British Legion Club in a Bucks town could be forced to close in a matter of months due to mounting living and maintenance costs.

The Royal British Legion Club in Marlow – not to be confused with its affiliated branch charity – is a deeply treasured part of the town’s community, acting not only as a custodian of ex-servicemen but also a multifaceted venue for live music, quiz nights and events including children’s birthday parties.

At the beginning of October, however, former Mayor of Marlow Suzanne Brown launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of £18,000, purportedly to “save the club” after “a huge increase in living costs” has made its operation increasingly unsustainable.

Suzanne, who is 60 years old, said: “We’re doing the fundraiser now because everyone associates the legion with Remembrance Day – the sad thing is most people don’t think about it otherwise.

“They often don’t realise the difference between the club and the Royal Legion branch – the branch is the poppy appeal, and the club is the building and community asset. One can’t fund the other, so it’s become increasingly difficult for the club to keep going.”

Suzanne said the loss of the legion hall, which in the worst case could happen in just a few months, had become a possibility as a result of the “obscene” bills of around £1500 each month for gas and electricity.

“We’re hopeful that something can be done – thousands of people come to the Remembrance Day event, and if each of them gave just £10, that would be enough.”

Emma Savory, 46, who is a member of the Marlow Royal British Legion club, and grew up visiting the venue with her parents, also described its future as “uncertain” amid ongoing economic struggles.

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“There really is nowhere else in Marlow that compares to the club. I remember sitting in the smoking area with a drink and a packet of crisps with my parents when I was younger, and my children have grown up there too.

“It’s a generational thing – the club has so many memories for so many people, of birthday parties, of celebrations and of wakes. It has become a hub for the community, but times have also been very difficult.”

Emma said the committee had done its best to cut costs without appealing to residents for help – members even began working free of charge behind the bar after staffing became impossible to maintain.

“What’s sad is that people don’t realise everything that happens there – it’s not just another social club, it also provides services for ex-servicemen and is somewhere that has brought people together for decades.

“This core sense of community is something we’re always trying to instil into families – it makes me feel that I’m a Marlow local through and through. I’d ask people to just come down and see what we’re about. Any kind of interest or attention will make it easier for us to continue what we’re doing."