The Uttoxeter area is set to lose an iconic social club after nearly half a century of service - but will benefit from a £75,000 in popular sports facilities.

JCB has announced the Lakeside Club, which neighbours the Rocester World HQ, will close on January 1.

Time has been called on the venue after 46 years of serving punters and hosting hundreds of social events, including presentation nights, gigs and dances. Company bosses said changing social trends have seen numbers dip in recent years at the Station Road club.

The building will be employed for "different business purposes" when the venue closes, a spokesman said.

He said: "The JCB Lakeside Club first opened more than 45 years ago, when times were very different. Fewer people choose to spend their leisure time in social clubs nowadays, so after careful consideration, we have taken the difficult decision to close the Station Road premises at the end of the year."

Uttoxeter's Got Talent was one of the big events to be held at JCB Lakeside Club in recent years. Pictured is Evie Degg performing
Uttoxeter's Got Talent was one of the big events to be held at JCB Lakeside Club in recent years. Pictured is Evie Degg performing

The news, however, coincides with a huge investment to upgrade the neighbouring sports facilities used by hundreds of athletes in and around town.

The company offers turf and all-weather football pitches, changing rooms and a bowling green.

A JCB spokesman said: "Health and fitness have become more important in people's lives in recent years, so the JCB Lakeside Club's sports facilities are being used a lot more by employees and local sports clubs.

"Upgrading the pitches and changing facilities will give users an even better experience and hopefully encourage even more people to use them."

The JCB Lakeside Club was founded in 1971 and has operated from the Station Road premises since 1982.

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