MEMBERS of the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club have voted to leave their historic clubhouse in Rhu.

The club moved from Rothesay to Rhu in 1937, and have been there since, but the clubhouse is too large for the club and is becoming costly to run and maintain.

Two alternatives were tabled at a Special General Meeting recently, when the decision to relocate to a new clubhouse at Rhu Marina was voted for by a large majority.

RNCYC commodore Charles Darley explained the reason for the decision: “The building and grounds have provided a wonderful base for the club but sailing has changed over the years.

“We now need a clubhouse which is easier to maintain and more connected with the water. We hope to be in a new home at Rhu Marina in about three years. We shall be able to see the sailing from the bar and have much better facilities for a range of activity on the water.”

The club have outlined a rough time plan and if it goes to plan they could be in their new clubhouse in 2019. They envisage the design process and planning applications will take around a year and if all that goes smoothly they can then proceed with the sale of their current property and begin development on the Marina site.

They expect the construction of a new property to take less than a year, during which time they will continue to operate from the existing premises. At the same time, the construction of new flats within the grounds will commence and once the new clubhouse is complete and occupied, the developer will continue to construct flats and convert the big house.

Neill Ross, Rear Commodore Sailing, said: “We have agreed an arrangement with our preferred developer, Dickie & Moore, that is based on them purchasing and developing our current site for domestic accommodation and to also build us our new clubhouse.

“This is all dependent on obtaining the necessary planning consents and this is where any risk lies but we are confident that we can meet any concerns and achieve our goal.”

This year the club came to the aid of the Rhu and Shandon Gala after their previous location became unavailable and the club offered there’s. While the relocation ends uncertainty for the club the Rhu and Shandon Gala using the space is uncertain.

Neill Ross added: “We intend that most of the community groups: Helensburgh Bridge Club, Probus, Round Table, Helensburgh Photographic Club and many others, will be welcomed at our new facility.

“Whether this can include the gala will require consideration. Of course, the new owners of the current site may be prepared to accommodate the gala too.”

While the relocation means saying goodbye to a clubhouse which has been such a large part of the club Commodore Charles Darley is confident the club will remain as strong as ever.

He said: “Our present building holds a lot of happy memories and it will be a wrench to leave.

“Our Club, though, is the people, not the buildings. Our roots go back nearly 200 years. With luck, the new base will see many more years to come.”