By Julian Whittle

Last updated 13:25, Thursday, 28 August 2008

CARLISLE’S ailing Liberal Club looks set to be sold to its steward Steve Mountjoy and his wife Maria.

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Struggling: The club in Lowther Street has debts approaching £300,000

The club in Lowther Street has debts approaching £300,000 and was on the verge of closure.

A meeting of members to approve its winding-up was scheduled for next Wednesday but has now been called off.

It is understood that the Mountjoys intend that the club, which dates from 1881 and has nearly 2,000 members, will continue as a private members’ club but possibly under a new name.

A legal clause insisting that the premises remain a members’ club may be inserted in the sale agreement.

Two other bids to buy the building were tabled, one from an anonymous local purchaser and one from Carlisle businessman Ron Wood. Both said they would have allowed the premises to continue as a members’ club. But the directors have opted to accept the Mountjoys’ bid.

The couple have run the club for 16 years and live in a flat on the second floor.

Carlisle Liberal Club underwent a £250,000 refurbishment in 1999.

Its latest accounts show a loss after tax of £37,063 for 2007, following a £9,657 deficit the year before.

There is also a substantial bank loan, secured on the building, which will require repayments of £400,000 over the next five years.

Daryl Warwick, an insolvency partner at Armstrong Watson in Carlisle, was called in at the end of last month to advise the directors.

In another development, club chairman Colin Hetherington has resigned.

He had been in the post for only one month after Richard Dodds quit as chairman for “personal reasons”.

It is understood that another director, Darren Rotherham, has stepped in as acting chairman until a permanent appointment is made.

JWhittle@cngroup.co.uk