A DECADES-OLD organisation that raises money for charities has been unceremoniously evicted from its meeting place at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council after 36 years.

Weymouth’s honorary Court Highclere of the Ancient Order of Foresters has been allowed to use the authority’s North Quay offices for its meetings since 1974. Before that the court had an agreement with Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Borough Council to use the town’s Guildhall for meetings since 1887.

Now Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has decided the court can no longer use its offices for meetings, citing health and safety concerns as one of the reasons for its decision. The order’s deputy chief ranger, Munro Ross, said a letter was received from the council’s now former acting director Alex Parmley informing the order of the authority’s decision.

The letter states the decision was made because of health and safety fears and because the council could not rent out rooms, despite having accepted £43 per quarter from the court for the use of its offices since the 1970s.

Mr Ross said: “This letter was wittering on about health and safety and the council not being able to let out rooms, which is nonsense because they let out rooms all the time.

“We offered to pay more rent but the council was not interested in that. I think our members are very disappointed and rather taken aback by the decision.

“It’s the end of an era.”

Mr Ross said the court’s 30-strong membership raises thousands of pounds for a nominated, locally-based charity each year through functions and fundraising activities such as raffles.

This has included raising £1,400 for the local branch of the Stroke Association last year and funds for the British Heart Foundation in 2008.

Since being evicted from the council’s offices, the court has been meeting quarterly at Holy Trinity School in Wyke Regis.

A spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said the council first entered into correspondence with the Ancient Order of Foresters in November 2008.

He added: “Unfortunately, it was no longer cost-effective to continue to hire meeting rooms to the Foresters out of office hours.

“Raising the hire charge to meet the costs incurred by extra staffing, lighting, heating and cleaning was not a reasonable or viable option.

“However, a long notice period was offered to the Foresters, with the option of refunding the hire cost paid in advance if an alternative location was found before the end of this period.”