POLICE officers are unhappy that their social club is to be axed to make way for more offices.

The club room at Chester-le-Street police station has formed an important focal point for those working from the station for many years.

The club will be closed to make way for more office space.

One police officer, who often used the club, said: "From our perspective it's a handy place to go for a drink after work to socialise, certainly after a stressful day.

"The same applies for functions. In the past we've had some successful functions there. I was speaking to someone a few days ago who was gutted that it is going to close.

"It certainly will be a loss. It used to be a real focal point. A lot of ex-police officers and their partners or widows still use the club on a regular basis and that's going to have some kind of impact on them as well."

Police clubs traditionally house a canteen and bar where staff can buy affordable meals and drinks or stage functions, but more and more forces across the country looking at whether their social clubs are viable following a recommendation in a report by the Audit Commission in 1999.

The report, entitled Action Stations, recommended stations looked at the need to keep police clubs open against the force's operational needs.

Police forces are required to provide a certain amount of social welfare for staff, but are not obliged to provide canteens.

Since the report, Darlington police station closed its social club and Seaham police lost their club before officers were relocated to their new site. Consett police have reduced the size of their club.

A Durham police spokesman said the Chester-le-Street club could close next month because more space is needed for core business.