Punchline-Gloucester.com has been given an exclusive tour of the Cheltenham social club which has recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Founded in 1874, the club, which has 250 members, is located just off Montpellier Parade and is Cheltenham's only club of its kind.

The New Club originally stood on the corner of The Promenade and Oriel Road and was founded by a group of returning Indian Army officers and prominent civil servants and professional people.

For much of its history The New Club was a men-only club but with declining membership, in 1970 the club relocated to its present site, a former girls boarding school.

Women were finally allowed as members in 1980 and now the club has an eclectic mix of members from a whole range of professions including military and legal figures, doctors, architects, musicians, TV presenters and writers.

Jane Moyle, the club's head of marketing, gave Punchline editor Mark Owen a tour of the club, including the recently opened magnificent Art Deco dining room, as well as the bar, library, meeting rooms, snooker room and bridge room.

Jane said: "There's no social club in Cheltenham at all apart from us. It's a wonderful way of making friends. The members believe in having fun - we are not stuffy and we are a very nice crowd. We all get on very well."

The club is now looking for new members, especially those from a younger generation, as many members are in their 70s and 80s.

Jane added: "We've got so many activities and we have live entertainment every week in some form or another. Every week we have a supper party with food from all around the world.

"It's just a vibrant place. It's the place to belong if you want to have a social life. It's so important for people moving to Cheltenham who don't know anyone. It brightens people's lives."

The New Club is also a great location for business networking with its meeting rooms and the potential for private dinners, as well as its free car park.

To find out more about The New Club, phone 01242 541121, email secretary@thenewclub.co.uk  or visit thenewclub.co.uk