OFFICIALS at a working men’s club have won their wrangle with an insurance company over a flood damage claim.

Baildon Woodbottom Working Men’s Club, near the River Aire, fell victim to the Boxing Day 2015 floods, with water reaching the tops of its pool tables.

The club, just off Otley Road near Baildon Bridge, reopened in June last year.

Club officials say damage caused by the floods ran to an estimated £230,000, which was paid through the club’s insurance company, NIG Insurance. The site’s two-month refurbishment was carried out by RSJ Building Services.

But the club’s staff said they were growing frustrated at £23,000 still being owed to them. This was made up of a payment for £19,000 in irrecoverable VAT and £4,000 for wines, spirits and tobacco. The total sum was paid to the club on Monday, an NIG spokesman confirmed.

Philip Moncaster, club secretary, said he was glad the full amount has been paid but frustrated that it had taken such a long time for the matter to be resolved.

He said: “It has gone on for a long time. It has been over a year since we reopened to get our VAT back.

“It should not have gone on this long, it’s ridiculous. It’s dragged on for 19 months since the floods.

“It seemed to have gone on forever. It’s just a joke. To us this is a lot of money. If we did not have the temporary bar we would be shut now.

“We have lost about a quarter of our members since the floods, which is about 200 members gone.

“The building work needs to be completed as well.

“It’s July 2017 and we got flooded in December 2015.”

An NIG spokesman said: “The remaining work on the property is being supervised by the surveyors appointed by the Baildon Woodbottom Working Men’s Club, and we await confirmation from them as to the completion of this work.

“NIG does not currently owe any money to the insured.

“NIG have recently made a payment of £4,000 for wines, spirits and tobacco and a £19,000 payment for irrecoverable VAT was made following receipt of the requested documentary evidence from the insured’s accountant.”

The club, which will celebrate its 100th year in 2020, has used the refurbishment to modernise its facilities and protect it from future floods.

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