A BRAND new social club has been officially opened in York by its oldest member.

At 93, Les Leaper has been a member at Burnholme Social Club for 44 years, joining just five years after it was established in 1935.

On Wednesday night he was on hand to cut the ribbon at the new club in Burnholme Drive which has 600 members.

Club secretary, Marje Pearson, said: "Five years ago we nearly went under, we were £100,000 in debt and our members bailed us out and invested in us so the new club is a real landmark. The building is absolutely amazing and we have got some new members recently too."

The new club is part of a larger development on the site of the old Burnholme Social Club which is to be demolished and replaced with 28 houses and nine flats.The scheme also includes a children's play area.

As The Press reported last year opponents of the plans to knock down the old Victorian Gothic-style building said the area would lose one of its focal points and criticised the size of the development, while concerns were raised about noise and claims made that not enough public consultation was carried out when the plans were submitted.

RHW Developments Limited said the current club, built in 1880 for former Lord Mayor of York John Bellerby, would need roof repairs costing £500,000 alone and the scheme would help meet York's housing demands.