FIVE social clubs which were once at the heart of communities across Barnsley are set to go up for auction - at a combined guide price of almost £700,000.

Residents across the borough will hold fond memories of Cudworth Industrial Club, Snydale Road Sports and Social, Brierley Village Club, The Bullet Sports and Social Club and Royston’s Alexandra Working Men’s Club.

But with drinking habits changing and the dwindling membership of the clubs, numerous venues across Barnsley have been forced to close their doors to punters for good in recent years.

All five of the aforementioned venues are set to go up for auction through Mark Jenkinson and Co - and Phil Gregg, the national clubs’ co-ordinator for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), admits that it’s a real shame.

He has called on Samuel Smith’s Brewery - the organisation which operates numerous venues across the town - to reconsider their models.

He told the Chronicle: “The Campaign for Real Ales find the recent closure and auctioning of several clubs in the Barnsley area, formerly operated by the Samuel Smith’s Brewery, deeply concerning.

“This includes long-standing venues in Grimethorpe, Brierley, and Cudworth - clubs that were once vibrant hubs at the heart of their respective communities.

“The decision to dispose of these clubs at auction marks a devastating loss to local residents who have long relied on these establishments not only as social venues, but also as key sites for community cohesion and tradition.

“The decline and eventual closure of these clubs appear closely linked to restrictive operational policies imposed by the brewery, particularly the controversial ban on music and other forms of social entertainment - practices that have significantly hindered the clubs’ sustainability and appeal.

“CAMRA is actively campaigning to support and protect social clubs across the UK as vital parts of our cultural and social fabric.

“Through our Clubs of the Year initiative, partnerships with national organisations, and advocacy for greater recognition and support from local authorities, we continue to push for policies that encourage the long-term viability of these essential institutions.

“We urge Samuel Smith’s, local stakeholders, and policymakers to reconsider the social cost of these closures and work collaboratively toward sustainable models that keep clubs open and thriving for future generations.

“If any members of the community or local groups wish to get involved in CAMRA’s campaign to support clubs, I encourage them to reach out directly.”

A number of former sites in Barnsley have become hotspots for antisocial behaviour in recent months.

It resulted in the former Ings Lane Social Club in Bolton-upon-Dearne and The Bullet Sports and Social Club in Brierley being torched, with the latter having to be knocked down due to the arson attack.

The site of the former Alexandra Working Men’s Club, based on High Street, has the highest guide price of the quintet at £250,000.

Plans have recently been submitted to Barnsley Council’s planning board to demolish the club.

According to a planning statement there is no intention to reopen the site and bosses behind the scheme say they could soon be in a position where they need to ‘urgently demolish’ the site due to it being of ‘keen interest’ to vandals.

Another working men’s club, known locally as Klondike, is set to be turned into five new bungalows - meaning the number of clubs across Barnsley has dwindled in the last few years.

Coun Caroline Makinson, who represents the Royston ward, told the Chronicle: “The decline of working men's clubs marks the end of an era, as shifting drinking habits reshape social traditions.

“Once the heart of local camaraderie, these institutions struggled against changing tastes and lifestyles.

“The rise of home drinking and smaller bars has replaced the familiar comfort of shared stories over a pint.

“Communities lose more than venues, they lose a space for connection, laughter, and solidarity.”