A working men's club in Shaw has said it is working to remain a 'safe community haven' while balancing the rising costs of goods, utilities and business rates.
Earlier this month, Shaw and Crompton Working Men's Club, more commonly known as Cartshaft, announced a price increase to account for rising costs.
The club explained it had been left with 'no choice' but to increase the cost of its products, as it was having to pay almost £11,000 more for beer and spirits.
The Oldham Times visited the club to talk to its secretary, Tommy Birch, and club manager Debbie Stevenson about the trials the club has faced in recent months, and how it has managed to come through them.
Tommy, who has worked at the club for nearly a decade, explained that for the last two years, the club has not made a profit.
He explained that its members own the club and that everything the staff do is not to make a profit, but to ensure it can continue to provide a 'safe space' for the people who visit.
However, with the club's brewery making a six per cent increase, its business rates having doubled each year for three years in a row, and 'significantly higher' utility bills all among rising costs, Tommy said it could not survive with the support of the community.
The club, which is owned by its members, has also seen price rises in entertainment package costs to stream sports, which is based on the business's rateable value, Tommy said.
Rateable value is a value given to a domestic or commercial building based on its size, location, and other factors, used to determine the rates payable by its owner.
With big hospitality brands on the rise in Shaw over recent years, which he said can charge lower prices for drinks, Tommy said the club has been unable to compete in some ways.
However, the thing that Cartshaft excels at, both Tommy and Debbie say, is its comfortable community feel.
Tommy said: "I think that we're a bit of a safe space for people, they know they can come in here and feel welcome, and they're not having to worry about anything.
"The vast majority who come in here frequently know everybody else by name.
"But we get people coming from all over, this weekend we have Newcastle fans coming down to watch the city game.
"They've been coming here for years, and they're a great bunch.
"We equally get people from the closer clubs, like United, City and Latics, and we have a sort of multi-team room that's great for them.
"The club is like one big community, but it's also built up of a lot of smaller communities within that."
Tommy also highlighted the community events that the club has hosted, such as a hoedown and its annual cheese and pickle day, stemming from the traditional celebration of the rushcart.
The most recent hoedown funded a refurbishment of its sports room, which is popular with younger members.
The events see dozens of people visit for a new time, many of whom have returned after the fact, Tommy said.
The club also has several sports teams, including both men's and women's darts, snooker, and crib, as well as a golf team that has been running since the 1980s.
Also based at Cartshaft is the Shaw and Crompton Veterans group, who meet every Sunday and have their own bar in a private room.
The thing the club needs, the pair explained, is more backing from its local community.
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They urged people to take advantage of its 'bargain' rates for the use of the function room, which they charge only £50 for, and £40 for members.
Tommy finished by saying: "We’re not here to make a profit, we’re here to keep a place where people feel safe, welcome and part of something, and as long as the community keeps coming through the door, we’ll keep the club going.
"It’s a bit of a haven where everybody knows everybody by name, and that’s what makes it worth fighting for."
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