Owners the Aster Group announced on Tuesday that the 60-year-old club had closed permanently, citing poor financial performance. In a statement, the group called it “a difficult but necessary business decision for the wellbeing of our portfolio as a whole” – which now includes just Wests Illawarra and Port Kembla Golf Club.  

Former CEO, Paul Balfour, led efforts to turn around the Corrimal club’s financial fortunes from 2007, when it was hit hard by the introduction of anti-smoking legislation.

While aware the Aster Group had sought expressions of interest, he was surprised by how suddenly the club was wound up, receiving no notice before the site was locked and gated off on Tuesday.

“There’s a lot of people that are upset,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting it to happen overnight – I thought we would be given some warning.”

Mr Balfour has not had access to the club’s financials in recent years, but questions the business case for offloading it.  

“From what I can tell, Corrimal was breaking even and had even been repaying part of the money that was allocated as a debt to us for the purchase of the building,” he said. 

“I believe the sale of the property will only last for so long, and then they [the Aster Group] will be in the same position they are today.”

The club had 2500-3000 members on its books when it close Aster Group says those memberships are valid at its other venues. 

Online, many Mercury readers have expressed surprise and sadness at the club’s closure. 

“So sad,” said Carol Nairn. “I spent a lot of nights out to dinner as a child with my mum and dad back in the 60s.” 

“Didn’t they just renovate the bistro?” asked another, Astrid Jackson. 

Andrew Larkham said he understood why the club had closed but objected to the way Aster Group had gone about it. “I would have suggested for one last open day for members and locals to celebrate its history, chat about old times and celebrate the clubs history. This, I think would have been appreciated.”

Mark McKinnon dated the club’s demise back to 2007. “This and many other licensed venues started struggling when the smoking ban was introduced. Patrons departed in droves.”

The club had wound down its contributions to area community and sporting groups in recent years, including the Corrimal Cougars rugby league football club, as Aster Group put money into repairs and upgrades. 

The football club has approached Aster to arrange for the return of its memorabilia.