Report - Crosville Social Club, Crewe - July 2024

GRONK · Jul 22, 2024

July 2024

I did this place solo over a number of visits, if you mention the Crosville Club to someone from around here, they'll either smile fondly or have a look of fear on their face. I grew up near the club. I remember going to the club for different events and functions when I was younger, just like many other locals. The Crosville in your classic WMC that you would find dotted all over the country, consisting of three main function spaces including a Cabaret room, Lounge Bar, Function Room and Snooker Room. Like a lot of working men's clubs, it had been struggling to attract new members as younger people go elsewhere to drink. It was clear during my visit that the building has been neglected with several damp rooms dotted about, this was particularly evident In the 'Secretaries Office' which had black moult on every wall. Anyway with the demolition crews circling in it is very unlikely we will see anything more come of the Crazy.

History
The Crosville Social Club, later known as the Crozzy, was established on Mary Street, Crewe in 1959 and later relocated to its current spot in 1960. Initially functioning as a typical Working Men's Club, it was managed by its members under the guidance of a management committee. In its later years, the club unfortunately developed a reputation for being a bit run down and was clearly falling victim to the same thing that many WMC’s have come to in recent years. The membership were forced to sell the freehold a number of years back along with their carpark in an attempt to raise funds to stay afloat. There had been rumours earlier in 2020 about the venue being under threat. It had appealed previously for more members, especially the younger generation, a statement posted on the club's social media in early 2020 admitted the club was ‘struggling from week to week' but it believed there was a light at the end of the tunnel. That is until we were hit with the Coronavirus pandemic which pretty much sealed the clubs fate with the forced closure the managing committee took the decision to wind down the business and hand the keys back to the landlord.

In mid-2022, an announcement was made that the club would be reopening under new management as 'The Crozzy', focusing on live music and events for an older crowd. The venue saw a decent number of guests attending tribute and comedy nights, with special appearances like Clinton Baptist from Phoenix Nights. In October of 2023, a proposal for development was sent to Cheshire East Council by McCarthy Stone. The plan is to build 51 apartments for individuals over the age of 60, resulting in the complete removal of the club. The club later revealed on social media that their landlord had decided to end their lease, leading to the permanent closure of the club in early 2024. Despite this announcement, the club carried on with business as usual until their final show on June 1st, after which they shut down for good.