News & Commentary
News & Commentary
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September 2025
September 2025
Conference Opening Speech — Stronger Local Places: Rebuilding the Social Club Movement
by Jonny Gordon-Farleigh
by Jonny Gordon-Farleigh
Dear Friends,
I’m really honoured to be here today to open this conference, and it’s great to look around a room and see partners who we’ve been working with over the last couple of years, as well as new faces who are becoming more interested in how social clubs can be part of a new democratic renewal.
Why are we here today? Well, we’re all here to talk about a movement that once shaped the civic life of this country — and that still has the power to do so again.
For more than a century, social clubs built not just bars and bingo halls, but the civic architecture of working-class Britain. They were places that were not centred on individualism – but focused on solidarity, shared responsibility and collective goals. Crucially, these miniature democracies were places where people could practise democratic life, and carry that experience into trade unions, councils, and even Parliament. At one point, club members held 178 seats in the Commons. And even those who did not take up leadership roles in these public institutions, they got the power to shape an emerging popular democracy and national project.
This is a story that is not recognised nearly enough, but it's a really important part of our social history as a country…
But today, the picture is mixed. Many clubs have closed. Some are underused. And others survive mainly by leasing space to other organisations. And yet, across the country, there are examples of revitalisation — like here at the Mildmay Club. These examples are proof that the “club model” remains one of the best answers we have to tackling some of today’s most urgent issues: the breakdown of social cohesion, the loss of cultural spaces, the rise in loneliness, and deeply embedded inequalities.
But the truth is, this movement is – in many respects – a sleeping giant.
Decades of decline have been well publicised, and despite being one of the largest solidarity networks our country has ever seen, now it could be perceived as more of a dormant movement of half-empty spaces. From the outside, it can appear quiet, even invisible in terms of the underestimated role it plays in neighbourhoods and on our high streets.
I know this from personal experience. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to convince people that social clubs are being overlooked as one of the most important social institutions in our society. Most were sympathetic — but many were fatalistic about their chances of survival. Some – even in the third sector and local communities – were unaware they still existed.
To change these perceptions, the Centre for Democratic Business applied for a small pot of funding from the Network for Social Change, to survey social clubs across the country, and to gather evidence that could help us understand their real value and vulnerability. Thanks to the support from Network for Social Change, we were able to do this, and it started the process that got us here today.
Soon after, I was delighted to come across an article written by the MP Kirsty McNeill, which called for a 21st Century Club Charter. After positive conversations, we started working closely together with her and her team – a special mention to Randi – as well as the Co-operative Party to set-up roundtables with club members across the country. We listened carefully, drawing out experiences, frustrations, and their hopes for the future.
Only a couple of months later, I was part of a delegation of social club leaders sat in Westminster Hall with the Minister of Local Growth – Alex Norris. We even found ourselves, somewhat unexpectedly, in the back garden at No.10, telling stories about the value of social clubs to members of the Prime Minister’s team.
So if last year felt like persuading people to take notice, this year feels like the beginning of recognition: that social clubs matter, and that their survival and renewal is a national cause.
But to renew them, we need to be honest about what isn’t working. Our national survey showed that 83% of clubs describe their finances as poor to fair. Almost all need help with fundraising. Three-quarters struggle to recruit committee members. And this is unsurprising, when two-thirds have not even received any external advice or support.
And yet, nearly half of the clubs in our research are growing their membership. Many are finding new energy through cultural programmes, social activism, and community partnerships. That resilience and creativity is a reminder of what’s possible.
And this is why membership structures matter. For generations, annual dues and an elected committee of volunteers was at the core of sustaining the movement. But for clubs to thrive again, membership has to open doors across generations, allow for cultural as well as social engagement, and connect clubs more deliberately with local partners and other communities. In short, membership has to be a bridge between the traditions of the past and the needs of the present.
We can learn from this history. In the 19th century, working men’s clubs weren’t just places of recreation. They were schools of democracy, where people learned to govern themselves. They built solidarity and confidence, helping communities organise around common needs. Today, they can still be that — vital infrastructure for connection, belonging, and civic action.
But with fewer than half the number of clubs that existed in the 1970s, our priority has to be to stop the decline and start the renewal. That means: supporting inclusive community building; helping committees modernise without losing what makes clubs special; and making finance and renovation straightforward instead of a desperate struggle.
That’s why today’s conference matters. We are here not just to talk, but to call for action: today we launch a new report calling on the government to create a taskforce to develop a 21st Century Social Club Charter in partnership with the movement. We’re suggesting it initially explores:
A framework to protect clubs as community assets,
Improved access to finance and grants for building renovation and community programmes
Training opportunities for volunteer committees and members,
A review of venue licenses to increase flexibility and use
And to ensure that clubs are part of the ambition to double the size of the co-operative and mutual economy.
The risks are real. From outdated rules and rising costs to the liabilities of operating old buildings. But so, too, is the opportunity. These clubs already hold the keys to stronger, more resilient communities. They just need a system that recognises, resources, and respects what they do.
It’s not that the government or the third sector needs to swoop in and save clubs. It’s more about how we can back them — and enable them to save themselves.
I’m really excited that club leaders, policymakers, infrastructure bodies, funders, and community organisations are here today, showing the appetite to tackle an urgent question: How can we unlock the civic power of social clubs to meet today’s economic, social, and political challenges?
With such an ambitious aim, I am now honoured to welcome the MP – Kirsty McNeill – whose leadership has been instrumental in this effort, to deliver today’s keynote.
Kirsty, many thanks for joining us today and for being so committed to reviving the social club movement alongside your ministerial and local responsibilities as an MP.
Jonny Gordon-Farleigh
11 September 2025
Mildmay Club & Institute
Dear Friends,
I’m really honoured to be here today to open this conference, and it’s great to look around a room and see partners who we’ve been working with over the last couple of years, as well as new faces who are becoming more interested in how social clubs can be part of a new democratic renewal.
Why are we here today? Well, we’re all here to talk about a movement that once shaped the civic life of this country — and that still has the power to do so again.
For more than a century, social clubs built not just bars and bingo halls, but the civic architecture of working-class Britain. They were places that were not centred on individualism – but focused on solidarity, shared responsibility and collective goals. Crucially, these miniature democracies were places where people could practise democratic life, and carry that experience into trade unions, councils, and even Parliament. At one point, club members held 178 seats in the Commons. And even those who did not take up leadership roles in these public institutions, they got the power to shape an emerging popular democracy and national project.
This is a story that is not recognised nearly enough, but it's a really important part of our social history as a country…
But today, the picture is mixed. Many clubs have closed. Some are underused. And others survive mainly by leasing space to other organisations. And yet, across the country, there are examples of revitalisation — like here at the Mildmay Club. These examples are proof that the “club model” remains one of the best answers we have to tackling some of today’s most urgent issues: the breakdown of social cohesion, the loss of cultural spaces, the rise in loneliness, and deeply embedded inequalities.
But the truth is, this movement is – in many respects – a sleeping giant.
Decades of decline have been well publicised, and despite being one of the largest solidarity networks our country has ever seen, now it could be perceived as more of a dormant movement of half-empty spaces. From the outside, it can appear quiet, even invisible in terms of the underestimated role it plays in neighbourhoods and on our high streets.
I know this from personal experience. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to convince people that social clubs are being overlooked as one of the most important social institutions in our society. Most were sympathetic — but many were fatalistic about their chances of survival. Some – even in the third sector and local communities – were unaware they still existed.
To change these perceptions, the Centre for Democratic Business applied for a small pot of funding from the Network for Social Change, to survey social clubs across the country, and to gather evidence that could help us understand their real value and vulnerability. Thanks to the support from Network for Social Change, we were able to do this, and it started the process that got us here today.
Soon after, I was delighted to come across an article written by the MP Kirsty McNeill, which called for a 21st Century Club Charter. After positive conversations, we started working closely together with her and her team – a special mention to Randi – as well as the Co-operative Party to set-up roundtables with club members across the country. We listened carefully, drawing out experiences, frustrations, and their hopes for the future.
Only a couple of months later, I was part of a delegation of social club leaders sat in Westminster Hall with the Minister of Local Growth – Alex Norris. We even found ourselves, somewhat unexpectedly, in the back garden at No.10, telling stories about the value of social clubs to members of the Prime Minister’s team.
So if last year felt like persuading people to take notice, this year feels like the beginning of recognition: that social clubs matter, and that their survival and renewal is a national cause.
But to renew them, we need to be honest about what isn’t working. Our national survey showed that 83% of clubs describe their finances as poor to fair. Almost all need help with fundraising. Three-quarters struggle to recruit committee members. And this is unsurprising, when two-thirds have not even received any external advice or support.
And yet, nearly half of the clubs in our research are growing their membership. Many are finding new energy through cultural programmes, social activism, and community partnerships. That resilience and creativity is a reminder of what’s possible.
And this is why membership structures matter. For generations, annual dues and an elected committee of volunteers was at the core of sustaining the movement. But for clubs to thrive again, membership has to open doors across generations, allow for cultural as well as social engagement, and connect clubs more deliberately with local partners and other communities. In short, membership has to be a bridge between the traditions of the past and the needs of the present.
We can learn from this history. In the 19th century, working men’s clubs weren’t just places of recreation. They were schools of democracy, where people learned to govern themselves. They built solidarity and confidence, helping communities organise around common needs. Today, they can still be that — vital infrastructure for connection, belonging, and civic action.
But with fewer than half the number of clubs that existed in the 1970s, our priority has to be to stop the decline and start the renewal. That means: supporting inclusive community building; helping committees modernise without losing what makes clubs special; and making finance and renovation straightforward instead of a desperate struggle.
That’s why today’s conference matters. We are here not just to talk, but to call for action: today we launch a new report calling on the government to create a taskforce to develop a 21st Century Social Club Charter in partnership with the movement. We’re suggesting it initially explores:
A framework to protect clubs as community assets,
Improved access to finance and grants for building renovation and community programmes
Training opportunities for volunteer committees and members,
A review of venue licenses to increase flexibility and use
And to ensure that clubs are part of the ambition to double the size of the co-operative and mutual economy.
The risks are real. From outdated rules and rising costs to the liabilities of operating old buildings. But so, too, is the opportunity. These clubs already hold the keys to stronger, more resilient communities. They just need a system that recognises, resources, and respects what they do.
It’s not that the government or the third sector needs to swoop in and save clubs. It’s more about how we can back them — and enable them to save themselves.
I’m really excited that club leaders, policymakers, infrastructure bodies, funders, and community organisations are here today, showing the appetite to tackle an urgent question: How can we unlock the civic power of social clubs to meet today’s economic, social, and political challenges?
With such an ambitious aim, I am now honoured to welcome the MP – Kirsty McNeill – whose leadership has been instrumental in this effort, to deliver today’s keynote.
Kirsty, many thanks for joining us today and for being so committed to reviving the social club movement alongside your ministerial and local responsibilities as an MP.
Jonny Gordon-Farleigh
11 September 2025
Mildmay Club & Institute
Dear Friends,
I’m really honoured to be here today to open this conference, and it’s great to look around a room and see partners who we’ve been working with over the last couple of years, as well as new faces who are becoming more interested in how social clubs can be part of a new democratic renewal.
Why are we here today? Well, we’re all here to talk about a movement that once shaped the civic life of this country — and that still has the power to do so again.
For more than a century, social clubs built not just bars and bingo halls, but the civic architecture of working-class Britain. They were places that were not centred on individualism – but focused on solidarity, shared responsibility and collective goals. Crucially, these miniature democracies were places where people could practise democratic life, and carry that experience into trade unions, councils, and even Parliament. At one point, club members held 178 seats in the Commons. And even those who did not take up leadership roles in these public institutions, they got the power to shape an emerging popular democracy and national project.
This is a story that is not recognised nearly enough, but it's a really important part of our social history as a country…
But today, the picture is mixed. Many clubs have closed. Some are underused. And others survive mainly by leasing space to other organisations. And yet, across the country, there are examples of revitalisation — like here at the Mildmay Club. These examples are proof that the “club model” remains one of the best answers we have to tackling some of today’s most urgent issues: the breakdown of social cohesion, the loss of cultural spaces, the rise in loneliness, and deeply embedded inequalities.
But the truth is, this movement is – in many respects – a sleeping giant.
Decades of decline have been well publicised, and despite being one of the largest solidarity networks our country has ever seen, now it could be perceived as more of a dormant movement of half-empty spaces. From the outside, it can appear quiet, even invisible in terms of the underestimated role it plays in neighbourhoods and on our high streets.
I know this from personal experience. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to convince people that social clubs are being overlooked as one of the most important social institutions in our society. Most were sympathetic — but many were fatalistic about their chances of survival. Some – even in the third sector and local communities – were unaware they still existed.
To change these perceptions, the Centre for Democratic Business applied for a small pot of funding from the Network for Social Change, to survey social clubs across the country, and to gather evidence that could help us understand their real value and vulnerability. Thanks to the support from Network for Social Change, we were able to do this, and it started the process that got us here today.
Soon after, I was delighted to come across an article written by the MP Kirsty McNeill, which called for a 21st Century Club Charter. After positive conversations, we started working closely together with her and her team – a special mention to Randi – as well as the Co-operative Party to set-up roundtables with club members across the country. We listened carefully, drawing out experiences, frustrations, and their hopes for the future.
Only a couple of months later, I was part of a delegation of social club leaders sat in Westminster Hall with the Minister of Local Growth – Alex Norris. We even found ourselves, somewhat unexpectedly, in the back garden at No.10, telling stories about the value of social clubs to members of the Prime Minister’s team.
So if last year felt like persuading people to take notice, this year feels like the beginning of recognition: that social clubs matter, and that their survival and renewal is a national cause.
But to renew them, we need to be honest about what isn’t working. Our national survey showed that 83% of clubs describe their finances as poor to fair. Almost all need help with fundraising. Three-quarters struggle to recruit committee members. And this is unsurprising, when two-thirds have not even received any external advice or support.
And yet, nearly half of the clubs in our research are growing their membership. Many are finding new energy through cultural programmes, social activism, and community partnerships. That resilience and creativity is a reminder of what’s possible.
And this is why membership structures matter. For generations, annual dues and an elected committee of volunteers was at the core of sustaining the movement. But for clubs to thrive again, membership has to open doors across generations, allow for cultural as well as social engagement, and connect clubs more deliberately with local partners and other communities. In short, membership has to be a bridge between the traditions of the past and the needs of the present.
We can learn from this history. In the 19th century, working men’s clubs weren’t just places of recreation. They were schools of democracy, where people learned to govern themselves. They built solidarity and confidence, helping communities organise around common needs. Today, they can still be that — vital infrastructure for connection, belonging, and civic action.
But with fewer than half the number of clubs that existed in the 1970s, our priority has to be to stop the decline and start the renewal. That means: supporting inclusive community building; helping committees modernise without losing what makes clubs special; and making finance and renovation straightforward instead of a desperate struggle.
That’s why today’s conference matters. We are here not just to talk, but to call for action: today we launch a new report calling on the government to create a taskforce to develop a 21st Century Social Club Charter in partnership with the movement. We’re suggesting it initially explores:
A framework to protect clubs as community assets,
Improved access to finance and grants for building renovation and community programmes
Training opportunities for volunteer committees and members,
A review of venue licenses to increase flexibility and use
And to ensure that clubs are part of the ambition to double the size of the co-operative and mutual economy.
The risks are real. From outdated rules and rising costs to the liabilities of operating old buildings. But so, too, is the opportunity. These clubs already hold the keys to stronger, more resilient communities. They just need a system that recognises, resources, and respects what they do.
It’s not that the government or the third sector needs to swoop in and save clubs. It’s more about how we can back them — and enable them to save themselves.
I’m really excited that club leaders, policymakers, infrastructure bodies, funders, and community organisations are here today, showing the appetite to tackle an urgent question: How can we unlock the civic power of social clubs to meet today’s economic, social, and political challenges?
With such an ambitious aim, I am now honoured to welcome the MP – Kirsty McNeill – whose leadership has been instrumental in this effort, to deliver today’s keynote.
Kirsty, many thanks for joining us today and for being so committed to reviving the social club movement alongside your ministerial and local responsibilities as an MP.
Jonny Gordon-Farleigh
11 September 2025
Mildmay Club & Institute
The CfDB is a project of Stir to Action Ltd, a worker co-operative registered in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Company number 07951013
Our team is based in Dorset, London, and Manchester
Designed and built by Guillermo Ortego
You can subscribe to our newsletter here
The CfDB is a project of Stir to Action Ltd, a worker co-operative registered in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Company number 07951013
Our team is based in Dorset, London, and Manchester
Designed and built by Guillermo Ortego
You can subscribe to our newsletter here
The CfDB is a project of Stir to Action Ltd, a worker co-operative registered in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Company number 07951013
Our team is based in Dorset, London, and Manchester
Designed and built by Guillermo Ortego