MORETON Community Club members have taken to the streets in protest at attempts by the Royal British Legion to oust them from the former Legion club premises in the town.

An estimated 100 club and branch members marched along Moreton High Street last Saturday before delivering a protest letter at the town's police station.

Club chairman Dave Baker said: "We are not against the police. It was mainly to show RBL HQ in Pall Mall that we want to keep the place. It's ours."

He said the fight was due to come to court in January, when the RBL will seek to get the club building back.

"They are trying to claim it's their building. They want to pinch the building and sell it for housing development," said Mr Baker, who was formerly vice-chairman of the Moreton RBL branch.

"It's not theirs to sell. The community owns it," he added.

Earlier this week, a last-minute compromise was reached between the club and the police prior to a meeting to decide its future. Police had called for a review of the club's licence by Cotswold District Council's licensing committee after "three incidents of serious disorder where people suffered serious injury."

These included a serious assault in the car park in July, a fight in August when one man had his jaw broken and an incident in October when a doorman had his eye socket fractured.

However, the club was reprieved after members agreed with police to stop selling alcohol by 11pm each evening and that only plastic glasses would be available during dance nights. Dancing and live music will also stop by 11pm except on Fridays, when it will continue until midnight.

The club has already cancelled all discos for 18-year-olds and announced that any troublemakers will be barred for life.

Only club members can gain admittance to the premises.

Mr Baker, who apologised to the licensing committee on Monday for the recent problems but said they were caused by outsiders, not members or locals, said the RBL's Gloucestershire county branch "have got so silly".

"They issued a statement saying branch members can't join the club. They said they can't have bingo for branch funds or for the Poppy Appeal at the club," he said.

"Every charity around here has raised money through the club," he added.

The new restrictions come into effect 21 days from the granting of the revised licence on Monday.