Council approves replacement of decayed decking at long‑standing Elton Fold club
Bury Council has granted planning permission for Elton Fold Workmens Club to remove an unsafe wooden platform and replace it with an enlarged, semi‑enclosed raised deck. The decision, taken at a committee meeting on 29 July, clears the way for work at the Leigh Lane club, which traces its history back to 1897 and has occupied its present site since 1905.
The existing timber deck — described in planning documents as being in a "serious state of disrepair and now unsafe" — covers about 40m² and has been in place for around 15 years. Under the approved scheme the club will remove that structure and install a new raised deck of approximately 90m², extending across the available side area and fitted with a lightweight timber roof to provide partial cover.
- Location: Leigh Lane, north Bury.
- Membership: Around 650 members.
- Existing deck: ~40m², in disrepair.
- Proposed deck: ~90m², partially covered.
| Feature | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Deck area | ~40m² | ~90m² |
| Cover | None | Lightweight timber roof (partial) |
| Other changes | Grey storage container present | Container removed; planters and shrubbery added |
A spokesman for the club set out the practical reasons behind the application, emphasising the benefits for members and staff.
"The extension will enable us to provide more external seating areas for our members and families with children and also much better access for our staff to the rear of the club for deliveries."
Planning papers make clear the scheme is intended to support the club’s weekday activities — including games nights for darts, dominoes, cards and snooker — and to improve facilities for supporters who gather to watch football on the club’s television screens. The proposals also include landscaping measures, with planters and shrubbery intended to soften the appearance of the enlarged external space.
For a venue with more than a century of local history, the project will alter how the building interacts with its immediate surroundings and with the wider Elton community. The removal of a grey storage container and the addition of planting were noted in the council documentation as measures to improve the visual amenity of the site.
While the approval secures the club’s ability to expand outdoor capacity and address safety concerns, the next stages will involve delivering the works and ensuring they meet the conditions set out by the council. For members — an estimated 650 people who use the club — the new deck should provide greater space for socialising and improved access for deliveries and staff operations when construction is completed.
Local organisations and longstanding community institutions such as Elton Fold are often judged by how they adapt to modern demands while retaining historic character. This decision allows one of Bury’s oldest clubs to refresh an important amenity and continue providing social and recreational activities for residents.
