Felixstowe: £1m RBL site under offer as demolition agreed

Agents Lamb & Swift say the old Felixstowe Royal British Legion Club - up for sale for £1million - is currently "under offer".

East Suffolk Council was asked by the RBL if the building, which has become the target of vandals, could be bulldozed to minimise the nuisance to nearby residents.

There have been a number of break-ins, graffiti and damage since Goyfield House, in Mill Lane, closed in 2020 with police and council officers regularly called to the site.

The site of the former Felixstowe Royal British Legion HQ in Mill Lane is set to be used for housing. Picture: RICHARD CORNWELL (Image: Newsquest)

East Suffolk Council has looked at the RBL's application for demolition and decided that it does not need official permission to carry out the work as it can be done under permitted rights.

The club closed after declining membership left it in a precarious position financially. It had been in operation for nearly 90 years, dating back to the 1930s.

It was a favourite place for former servicemen to meet up socially and had more than 200 members, and its bar was highly popular. It was open to people outside the forces, too, and the management had been aiming to make it an attractive venue for younger people.

Edgeplan, on behalf of the RBL, said: "Goyfield house is therefore surplus to requirements, and as a vacant property, is suffering from vandalism, break-ins and substantial damage despite attempts to maintain security.

"The police and the council’s Environmental Health Department have been called out on a number of occasions and have expressed concern at the state of the building and its unsafe condition.

"The substantial costs of maintaining the building in a secure condition are now becoming a burden upon the charitable aims of the Legion, with no realistic prospect of a viable future use. The time has come, therefore, to demolish the building pending the disposal of the site for an alternative future use."

The local charity branch of the RBL was not affected and is still thriving, raising money for the Poppy Appeal and the legion funds and playing a key role in helping veterans and others, taking part in civic commemorations, including the annual Remembrance events.