A MEMBER of Fordingbridge Club says the former club building is being sold “over the members’ heads”.

A potential buyer has been having confidential talks with the mayor over the Roundhills building, which has been empty for two years.

Woolley and Wallis are marketing the site as suitable for a mixed-use development, to be auctioned on June 20.

The site is about 0.16 acres and features two 19th century warehouses with extensions providing a floor space of 7,442 sq ft (691.4 sq m) and is on the market for £250,000.

But the club member, who does not wish to be named, says if the club was to be sold its 157 members, who own the freehold, had to hold an official vote, and 75 per cent had to turn up and vote in favour for a sale to go ahead.

Fordingbridge Club Ltd sent 157 members a letter in early 2012, saying: “After your committee has met with the solicitor a further meeting will be called where 75 per cent of the membership will need to be present and will be required to sign the official documentation to close the club.

“Failure of members to attend this second meeting will mean the committee will not have the authority to proceed.”

However the member said that the second meeting did not|happen.

He said: “I went to the first meeting in May 2012 but there was no vote taken. There was never a second meeting held at all. While I agree that the club should be sold, as I am sure most of its members do, I am concerned that the sale will go ahead without consultation with us. This doesn’t seem right as there has been no formal permission given.”

But Fordingbridge Club member Barry Philpott says he remembered a meeting being held about 18 months ago, in which members voted in favour of selling the building.

He said: “As far as I can remember, a meeting was held and we had to vote whether we agreed with the building being sold or disagreed. I think most people wanted a holiday and voted in favour.”

Mayor of Fordingridge Malcolm Connolly said: “The scheme for the building, with the information I have from the|gentleman who is very interested in buying the property, is that it would be very beneficial to the town and all its inhabitants. However, if the building is sold at auction to a property developer, we could see it being turned into flats or residential houses that would not add to our town.”

Fordingbridge Club closed in 2012, just before a meeting was due to be held over plans to strip it of its licence following police concerns about drugs at the venue.