Members of the Port Elizabeth St George's Club last night rejected a proposal to sell the historical Bird Street building they occupy after a cash offer of R10,5 million was made.

A special general meeting of the members followed the management committee of the club entering into a deed of sale last month which had to be approved or rejected by members.

It only affected the building and not the existence of the club.

The proposed sale of one of Nelson Mandela Bay's best- known landmarks had been greeted with dismay by some members, while others said they accepted it as inevitable because of dwindling membership and support.

For the deed of sale to be ratified and confirmed, approval by a two-thirds majority of full members was required.

The offer to buy was made by Bunker Hills Investment, but it is not known what the plans are for the building.

The management committee was unanimous in deciding to enter into the agreement due to a number of factors, which included the decrease in membership and member support.

The club's finances were also an issue and it was also argued that the Bird Street property was too large for the club's requirements and that the cost of maintenance had grown too high.

Further motivation was that it was unlikely to receive another offer of about R10,5 million.

The 102-year-old club building is one of the most familiar in Port Elizabeth. Construction started in 1904 and it was completed in 1905.

The club's roots go back even further to 1866, when it was first established in a house overlooking what is now Trinder Square.

Among its most famous guests were King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, who had lunch there during their 1947 royal visit.

Almost 50 years later, in 1995, Queen Elizabeth II again visited the club and had high tea with its members and invited dignitaries

Eastern Province Herald