THE firm planning to sell the Allied Dunbar Sports and Social Club has been handed a 2,500-name protest petition.

Zurich Financial Services is in negotiations to sell the Ocotal Way Club to Tesco, which has a superstore nearby.

Zurich has pledged that the club will stay open until next autumn and that efforts will be made to find alternative jobs for the eight full-time staff.

But many of the 7,000 members have vowed to oppose the deal until the end.

One of them, Brian Thomp-son, handed over the petition to club general manager Simon Little yesterday .

Mr Thompson said: "There are obviously many thousands of people around the town who are appalled by Zurich's decision."

The club has hosted sport since 1924, when the tobacco firm Wills opened it up for their staff.

In the past 30 years the club has been run by Hambro Life, Allied Dunbar and, most recently, the Allied parent company Zurich.

As well as being used by members, it is frequently booked for functions by community groups.

Mr Thompson added: "Why then is this wonderful venue going to be sold off to Tesco for a paltry sum of money?

"So that they can convert it into a concrete slab for warehousing and more car parking space.

"The club is used and depended upon as a meeting place by many, many more than the 7,000 members.

"Where are they going to go?

"So far, the petition has been signed by about 2,500 people in four weeks, but I believe we could easily double that."

Receiving the petition, Simon Little said he would pass it on to his superiors at Zurich Financial Services.

He added: "We are all disappointed that the club is going to be sold.

"And we are aware that members obviously feel strongly about the situation."

Nobody at Tesco was today available to comment.

Zurich Financial Services spokeswoman Julia Kiff said the petition would be studied.

She pledged that the club would remain open until at least next September, and that the firm was looking for alternative roles for staff.

She added: "We are still negotiating with Tesco.

"As a major local employer, we value input from the community."

Tesco has stated in the past that it is company policy not to discuss such matters until agreement has been reached.