A TAVISTOCK building which housed a social club for the military fraternity has fallen into disrepair — but it seems essential repairs are now being undertaken.

The Tavy Club on King Street, owned by the Royal British Legion, was the central hub for local serving and former service personnel and their families — but was closed permanently in January this year when its tenants were moved out of the premises by a High Court action in Plymouth due to substantial monies owed to HMRC and the legion.

Following this action, the building, which once stood proud, remained lifeless and seemed to be falling into further disrepair.

When the Times approached the Royal British Legion headquarters for a comment on the building’s future, a spokesperson from the legion said that essential repairs were ‘nearing completion’.

‘The Royal British Legion has recently taken possession of the site from tenants who owed a large debt to the charity. The property is having essential repairs conducted on it and these are nearing completion.

‘Discussions are ongoing regarding the future of the building. There is no decision at this point.’

The Tavistock branch of the Royal British Legion announced that it was busy bringing the building back to standard, with the legion’s headquarters approval.

And on Tuesday (May 15), the property manager for the Royal British Legion visited the Tavy Club and made a recommendation that the building should continue to be owned by the legion and the social club should be resurrected by new tenants.

The Royal British Legion Social Club, affiliated to the Tavistock branch of the RBL but not part of the legion, was closed in 2011 when it ran into financial difficulties. The Tavistock branch — which did not want to lose a social club — let the premises in 2011.

Chairman of the Tavistock branch Malcolm Christie said: ‘Unfortunately, despite best efforts, the club has now been forced to close by HMRC and the tenants moved out, owing us, the local branch.

‘However, the branch committee are adamant that we do not want to lose a social amenity to, not only the serving and ex-service personnel and their families, but also the wider Tavistock community and have passed another resolution to RBL HQ to clean, repair and present the building for re-let as a social club.’