Easington and District Workingmen's Club has appointed a liquidator after deciding to voluntarily wind up the business.

Although the club has debts of up to £111,000, these are expected to be taken care of with the sale of its land.

The club was founded in 1910, and has occupied the former Ministry of Defence drill hall site on Seaside Lane, Easington Village, for the last five decades.

In its heyday, the club offered people somewhere to socialise and enjoy entertainment.

But bosses say changing attitudes towards workingmen's clubs, decline of the area's industries and the smoking ban have caused customer numbers to fall.

RMT, the Gosforth-based firm dealing with the liquidation, and the Working Men's Club and Institute said the club did everything it could to try to keep going.

However, with few patrons and mounting bills, they had to make the decision to call it a day.

Accounts for the business show secured claims amounting to £32,000 have been made by individuals against the property it owns, but no money is owed to banks or other financial organisations.

A further £13,000 is owed to HM Revenue and Customs and £56,000 is down to trade and expense creditors, which relates to the running of the building.

Employees are also claiming £10,000.

Despite the debts, RMT says that the sale of the land will cover those costs.

The plot is already for sale, although it is not known how much it is expected to go for.

There has been suggestions the land may be sold with planning permission for development attached, which would make it more attractive to a buyer.

Mick McGlasham, secretary of the Durham branch of the CIU, said the venue was one of up to four clubs in the county which have seen trade fall.

He said: "It's very sad that a club has closed down, a club that's been part of the community, and unfortunately once something like this has happened, it never reopens.

"It's a sorry state of affairs and they worked hard on that place and tried to keep it open, the CIU officials in the village club and members.

"At the end of the day, they're working lads and the legislation that's been put through doesn't really encourage people to go on to club committees.

"Everybody did their hardest to overcome the problem, but unfortunate circumstances and legislation in relation to smoking didn't help. People wouldn't go in.

"I'm please to see in the papers the Government is looking to legislate to keep the cheap booze out of supermarkets and that would help us."