FURIOUS drinkers have threatened to oust a charity committee that they say have closed their bar.

Dozens gathered in Freshbrook pub The Windmill to discuss the closure of the bar at the Toothill Community Centre.

The bar closed on Thursday night after the charity that manages the centre said the trading company responsible for the bar had been operating without an “occupational license” and has not paid a market rent to the charity since at least 2013.

Jane Francis, writing on behalf of the committee, said: “The trading arm is required at the end of each year to hand over to the charity the remaining profits. In 13 of the last 20 years it has failed to do so.”

According to the charity’s analysis, the trading company posted a combined loss of £4,049 between 2008 and 2016. The charity’s committee said they had met with the trading arm directors and issued a list of matters they wanted addressed. They also said they would have to increase rent to a “market level”.

On Monday night drinkers at the old community centre bar vowed to take their fight to an extraordinary general meeting of the charity later this month – where they hope to oust the current committee.

Martin Keep, who organised Monday’s meeting, said: “We know very little. We don’t know why it has been closed.”

He alleged that the charity’s chairman told a meeting last week that “without the bar the community centre wasn’t viable”, although the committee dispute that this was said.

“The meeting he subsequently held in the evening simply gave notice that the bar was closing until further notice,” said Martin.

He plans to move a vote of no confidence in the current committee on October 28. Martin said: “Our main proposal is to get them out and a new committee reinstated.”

Organisers said they had invited the current committee to the meeting at The Windmill.

Gordon Moore, 57, a Freshbrook builder who laid the foundations of the community centre, said: “The whole of West Swindon uses the community centre. It’s disgusting.”

Arno Morsin, 74, from Freshbrook, has been drinking at the bar for around five years. He said: “We’re all friends there. We get along together. It’ll be a pity to lose all that.”

Committee member Trevor McGlynn, who seconded the motion to close the bar, said he now regretted the move. He said he felt “miserable and very sorry for what I’d done”.

Matthew Courtliff, ward councillor for Lydiard and Freshbrook and who attended the meeting, said: “To me, this could be sorted out with a bit of sensible dialogue.”

Currently, a sign on the door of the community centre bar reads: “Bar closed until further notice due to Charity Commission law. By order of Toothill Community Centre.”

It is believed that the closure of the bar has led to the loss of six jobs. Three of these workers will receive a redundancy payment, the Adver understands.

The committee said that only them or Swindon Borough Council are able to call an extraordinary general meeting and that no such meeting would be taking place. They also disputed that a formal invitation to Monday’s meeting had been sent to them.

Jane Francis, speaking on behalf of the community centre charity, said: “We had no choice but to close the bar.

“We have tried to work with the directors and we acknowledge the contribution they have made to the community and was made legally despite assertions to the contrary.

“We will be having further meetings with the directors and they will be supported through the closure process.”