Working men’s clubs

Legal advice and assistance for working men’s clubs.

Working men’s clubs have been part of the fabric of their communities for many years. However, longstanding clubs may find that they now have out of date rules, or a structure which is no longer fit for purpose.

The club’s management committee may be responsible for historical property without the protection of limited liability which comes with an incorporated structure. This may make it difficult to recruit new committee members and bring new people on board at the club. Or, the club may have declining membership and the remaining committee members are wondering what their options are.

Working men’s clubs can take a variety of forms. They may be unincorporated associations, societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1974, or co-operative societies. Wrigleys can advise you on your club’s current structure and help you to decide the structure which will be best suited to your club in future.

Wrigleys can also help with updating your rules. We have a set of rules which have been used for a number of working men’s clubs, and which can be adapted to suit your requirements. This may form part of a wider change such as incorporating, changing your structure or it may be to update your current rules so they are fit for purpose.

We can also advise on your property arrangements. The property may be held in the names of committee members who are no longer involved with the club, the names of those holding the property may need to be updated, or the property may need to be transferred to a new legal structure.  

In the worst-case scenario, we can assist with the legal requirements to wind up your club and advise on the distribution of assets in accordance with your rules or constitution.