Challoner faces debt eviction

by Joanna Moorhead
DISBELIEVING splutters could be heard over the breakfast tables of well-heeled Catholics throughout the land this week after the latest missive from the crisis-ridden Challoner Club landed on the mat.
The Challoner, which provides a London social life for Catholics of a certain class, is appealing to its members to pay a minimum of £100 each in an attempt to bale it out of a huge financial crisis, the result of a long battle with the landlords of its Chelsea headquarters.
The landlords of the club, based in fashionable Pont Street, have been trying — unsuccessfully so far — to evict the Challoner for many months. As a result of the disagreement rents have not been paid, and the club's management has now received a lawyer's letter which warns that unless the debt of E65,000 is cleared by Monday next, the premises will have to be vacated.
"The landlords are endeavouring to remove us. We will continue to resist," says the letter sent this week to members by the club chairman, former Conservative MP Sir Albert McQuarrie.
The club has "insufficient funds" to pay off the debt, he admits. But "one or two people" have offered to pay off the back rent if they receive "sufficient security", he adds.
Other measures outlined in the club's latest newsletter to boost the club's dwindling funds include the possible sharing of the club's premises with another club, and a widening of membership qualifications to include other Christians as well as Catholics. Until now, membership has been restricted to Catholics and their nonCatholic spouses.
An emergency general meeting held recently at the club also agreed to a rise in membership subscriptions. The new rates are £100 for "town" members, £75 for those from the "country and abroad", and £130 and £110 for couples in those categories. Lower rates are charged to priests — they have to pay £50 if they live in London, and £45 if they arc based elsewhere.
The recent history of the Challoner Club has been fraught with difficulties. Two years ago it became embroiled in a court action with Hill House School, Prince Charles' first prep, which had rented space at the club for several years. The school successfully overturned an attempt to evict it.