THE Exmouth Railway Club in Victoria Road is being sold off - with a minimum �400,000 price tag. The For Sale sign went up last week, and the future of its membership remains uncertain - although the chairman has said he wants to continue in some form".

THE Exmouth Railway Club in Victoria Road is being sold off - with a minimum �400,000 price tag.The For Sale sign went up last week, and the future of its membership remains uncertain - although the chairman has said he wants to continue "in some form".Ian Keith says they have been forced to sell The Great Western Railway Staff Association (GWRSA) club building -formerly the police station and magistrate's court - because of falling revenues.But there are fears that the club, which moved from its original premises on the Estuary when the courts moved to Windsor Square, could be sold off to developers for flats.More than 100 members were on Tuesday night told by a representative of the GWRSA - the club's owners - of the decision, and discussed options on how to continue.Chairman Ian Keith confirmed that the revenue from the sale would go back to the GWRSA, and said: "Yes, we want to continue the club; I've been making this clear for over a year now. "But it is too early to say how we do it and where it goes."If we had more support from members in the first place ... the premises are too big and (the club had to be sold off because) there has been falling revenues."I want to continue the club in the town, but we should have sold last year when the market conditions were better."Estate Agent Tony Noon, who for Aaron Fox is handling the sale, said: "The premises are licenced and while it is likely it will be sold as a licenced premises, it is more likely it will be sold for residential development, for flats."Town councillor Steve Gazzard said: "It would be nice if we could have a community centre there, rather than something like flats. We need something useful, for the town."Former member Lionel Howell, who joined in 2001, said: "I know they had some problems last year and all the members of the committee stood down. But they must have spent a fortune in doing up the function room and skittle alley."I'm absolutely flabbergasted - I was a paid-up member until last month and this is the first I've heard of it."The club is used for meetings by organisationss like the Royal Signals Association and Exmouth Amateur Boxing Club Tom Harvey-May, of the Royal Signals Association, said: "I'm puzzled by this. It's the first I've heard of it. It is surprising.