THE headquarters of two York sports clubs, which backs on to a prime redevelopment site just outside the city walls, is being sold to a city-based property developer.

The York City Arms, in Fawcett Street, is due to change hands for an undisclosed sum at the end of the month, when the York Amalgamation of Anglers and the York City Baths Club, which currently own the building, will say their final goodbyes to their headquarters of the past 25 years.

York-based property company Treat Prefer made an undisclosed offer for the building earlier this year, and contracts have now been exchanged.

When the sale goes through, the business is due to continue running as a social club until at least early next year, with current stewards June and Mark Welburn taking over the running of the bar.

But the long-term future of the building is still unknown.

Both sports clubs, which joined forces to buy the once-derelict building in 1976 for £19,000, are now making alternative arrangements for their meetings and are deciding how to invest their profits.

The nearby Barbican centre, and surrounding land, currently used as a car park, were put on sale last month.

There have been 11 bids for the site and City of York Council officers are expected to whittle the number down over the next couple of months.

The City Arms building was not included in the possible redevelopment site by the council because it is a listed building.

And both sports clubs do not know what the new owners are planning for the building.

Bob Hutchinson, secretary of the York Amalgamation of Anglers, said the clubs were approached directly and asked if they were prepared to sell the premises.

He said: "We bought the club because we felt that we both needed a headquarters.

"The anglers certainly did because we had been travelling around the city's clubs for our meetings.

"It was also ideal for the Baths club, because it was next to the Barbican.

"But circumstances have changed and it's time to let it go.

"Our numbers have dropped; at one point we had 4,000 and we are now down to 1,400. The Baths club has left the Barbican.

"And we had an offer."

The Amalgamation of Anglers is expected to invest in one of its nine ponds and the Baths Club, which was once based at The Barbican and now uses various facilities in the city, could go back into partnership to secure its own pool.

Updated: 16:16 Wednesday, August 29, 2001