Glenrothes ladies club forced to leave hall after 43 years

Pitteuchar Ladies Club, which has met monthly at the tenant’s meeting room in Altyre Avenue since 1973, has been told by council officers to find alternative accommodation following the decision to close the facility, along with five others in the town, as part of drastic measures to help plug the £31m deficit in this year’s Fife Council’s budget.

“The news certainly came out of the blue with no warning as we were informed just the evening before our usual meeting,” said Marie Miles, club secretary.

“We were told very little other than the building was to close as it was now deemed to be unfit.

“It’s very sad because this has been the home for the club for all of its 43 years, except for one single month many years ago were we tried another venue but it didn’t work out.”

The club was originally set up by a group of young Pitteuchar mums in an attempt to generate community spirit among residents.

Over 40 years on and while membership may have declined, many of the original mums still regularly attend.

Glenrothes councillors at last month’s area committee meeting narrowly voted, by six votes to five, in favour of pushing ahead with the closure of five halls; Caskieberran and Pitteuchar tenants meeting rooms and three facilities in Kinglassie, while offering a public consultation on a further 13 more across the Glenrothes area.

Thankfully the ladies have managed to secure new accommodation at the nearby Exit Centre and hope the move will help revitalise one of the most respected and longest serving clubs in the town.

“It’s onwards and upwards and we are hoping the start of a new chapter,” said Marie.