Club Arncliffe has opened its doors- marking more than two years of hard work by a group of Arncliffe residents determined not to see their local go under.
In July 2015 Bexley RSL confirmed the club would close with financial pressures to blame but at the last minute it was given a six month reprieve.
However, it closed for good in March last year.
But that wasn’t enough to deter a group of Arncliffe residents who weren’t willing to say goodbye to the club where they had made friendships, mourned loved ones and shared a laugh.
For the last two years they have toiled to see the club reopen.
Their hard work has finally paid off with Club Arncliffe officially opening its doors on Saturday.
It’s a milestone for the little club- it’s one of only five NSW clubs to receive a new licence in the last five years.
Club President Barry Ryan enjoyed a well-deserved beer or two when the doors finally opened.
‘’It’s been head down, bum up since the beginning and everything has been like pulling teeth,’’ he said.
‘’It’s honestly been hard the whole way but we’ve been tenacious in seeing it through.
‘’You can see why people get disappointed and walk away but we’ve just kept punching.’’
The old building has been transformed, and a new restaurant, Sing Nik, will provide tasty Thai and Australian food.
The leaking roof has been fixed, walls freshly painted and new furniture and carpet put in.
Mr Ryan said the club already has almost 350 members but is hoping for more after the opening.
‘’The first few months will be tough- it’s a bit of an experiment,’’ he said.
‘’We want everyone to get behind us. If we can get successful we’ll be putting it back into the community.
‘’I am an opera singer so this was completely foreign to me but I love this place.
‘’It broke so many hearts when it closed.’’
Club Arncliffe is located on Wollongong Road, Arncliffe. It is open seven days a week from noon-8pm.