Ms Weedon said in a statement to the BBC that it was “a serious breach of trust and transparency”. She stated that NHS employees have been contributing to the club through wage deductions “for many years”.

“The club has been an integral part of staff wellbeing for decades – offering a safe, familiar place to unwind, connect, and support each other, especially through high-pressure periods like the pandemic,” she told me.

The hospital trust stated that food will continue to be supplied, with the hall remaining available for staff activities, meetings, sports, and Friday prayers. It stated:

“Our objective is to repurpose the existing bar area into a health and wellbeing room for trust staff only, allowing colleagues to take a break from their hectic schedules.

“This means we will no longer operate a working bar or routinely open the club in the evenings.” It stated that a temporary bar would still be available during special events such as charity quiz nights, with proceeds benefiting the charity.

A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust stated that only 142 of its 9,222 employees were members of the social club.

It had leased the space to a management committee, which charged both employees and non-employees for membership.

“Unfortunately, the trust has received no rental payments in 2025, necessitating us to step in to safeguard the future of the venue,” stated the trust’s spokesperson. In response, a representative for L&D Hospital Social Club stated:

“The club did not operate for roughly five weeks earlier this year, due to extensive flood damage caused by the trust’s maintenance work, rendering the premises uninhabitable.

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