A VILLAGE is divided after the entire bar staff of a workingmen's club walked out in protest over the club steward being suspended.

Members are boycotting Langley Park club, near Durham City, after club secretary Keith Reay suspended steward Malcolm Jones for breach of contract after he refused to let inexperienced committee men work behind the bar on New Year's Eve.

Mr Jones' supporters say the row started when the secretary refused to pay time-and-a-half for bar staff on New Year's Eve.

With the bar men and women making different plans, the club was forced to draft in three committee men who had no bar experience between them.

When Mr Jones refused to let them work the bar - forcing the club to close on the biggest night of the year - he was suspended. If the steward loses his job he will also lose the house, next to the club, that comes with the position.

Now many of the 1,500-plus members are boycotting the club until the steward is reinstated and some are even refusing to shop at Mr Reay's nearby newsagent.

A club member, who did not want to be named, said: "The ironic thing is that for the sake of paying the staff an extra £90, the club lost out on at least £3,500 on New Year's Eve."

Both Mr Reay and Jack Amos, CIU secretary, refused to comment yesterday.

But member Stephen Coates said: "There is a lot of unrest in the village and people are boycotting the club. This needs to be sorted out quickly."

In the club last night, one member, who wished to remain nameless, said it was a much quieter night than normal.

He added: "It's a total disgrace. People don't think the club has been run properly and we need it sorted out."

At that point, chairman Ray Walker arrived and told a Northern Echo reporter and photographer to leave. As he did so, at least two people shouted out objections to him from the bar room.

Mr Jones' suspension is expected to be discussed at a committee meeting on Sunday.