Address: 43 Tanner Row, York, YO1 6JP
Description
A paint-on-brick ghost sign features white text that once read ‘Affiliated New Central W.M. Club Affiliated’ against a dark background. Though the text has now largely worn away.
History
The New Central Working Men’s Club on Tanner Row opened its doors in 1938 and remained active well into the mid-20th century.
Working men’s clubs first appeared in the 19th century, established in the industrial heartlands of northern England, the Midlands, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the South Wales Valleys.
Their purpose was to provide recreation and education for working-class men and their families.
1938 Source: York Press
While initially founded with educational goals, these clubs have predominantly become recreational venues.
Traditionally, a club features a ‘vault’—a term commonly used in Northern England—equipped with a bar, snooker, pool or bar billiards tables, and televisions for sporting entertainment.
A larger room, known as the concert or entertainment room, includes a stage and seating arrangements of tables, stools, and sofas, hosting evening events on weekends like bingo, raffles, live music, cabaret, and comedy gigs.
1938 – The sign is just visible on the left in the distance Source: Explore York Archive Asset ID: 1000004
These clubs are celebrated for their charitable activities, but they have faced declining memberships, leading to numerous closures – including the New Central WMC on Tanner Row.
Recent trends show a decrease in club patronage as more individuals choose to drink at home, influenced by factors like the ability to smoke indoors.
A study by the British Institute of Innkeeping and the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations highlighted a 7.3% drop in overall revenue.
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