A SALTBURN sporting association has launched a fight to save its sporting club from going up for auction.

Staithes Sporting Club is set to go under the hammer under a guiding price of £85,000, but Staithes Sporting Association aim to buy the club back for the community.

A statement by Staithes Sporting Association, they announced that they are in "regular discussion with the current owners as regards to the future of the club."

A spokesperson for the club said: "It is our intention to agree a deal to buy back the club for the local community. 

"The sports association has put together an idea for a business plan for both phase 1, buying back the club and phase 2, what to do with it if we are successful.

"A plan we feel would benefit the whole community with a timescale over the next 3-4 years, but with no club there is no plan."

"We have sat down with the owner and had a very positive talk and made an offer to buy the club back for the community.

"Unfortunately, that offer was turned down after the owners had a few days of thinking it over. However, we continue to push for a resolution before auction.

"We understand that selling the club at auction has the potential for a higher value sale, but also attracts undesirable new owners.

"We still hope to convince the owners to do the right thing by the people of Staithes and come forward and accept an offer from us. The club is important to the community and the sport is a hub for so many."

The Staithes Athletic Club and sports field site, which are located on Seaton Crescent, may be suitable for development according to auctioneers.

The large Athletics club building includes over 9,000 square feet of floorspace made up of two lounges, bars, a large function room with stages and a commercial kitchen and toilets.

Home of Staithes Football Club, the facilities received funding from the Premier League and charitable organisations in 2017 for a £38,000 upgrade to build separate home and away changing facilities and changing rooms for match officials.

The spokesperson for Staithes Sports Association added: "If successful the business needs restructuring and we believe we can put together a business plan that would ensure a sustainable future for the club and that this does not happen again.

"The local council, MP Robert Goodwill along with Sports England and Yorkshire Water have all given us their backing and will ensure the legal covenants they hold will be enforced and the site will remain a sports field."