Intake Social Club, Doncaster
The Intake Social Club in Doncaster embarked on a new era in 2021 when a new Committee came on board with the aim of securing the future of the club for the local community. We profile the club as it continues its upward trajectory.
When Carl Bassindale took over as Secretary of Intake Social Club in Doncaster in 2021, he was walking into the unknown. After a four-decade reign, the previous Secretary had retired, leaving Carl – a former Premier League referee with no previous experience of running a members' club – holding the keys during a global pandemic.
"I had five months during lockdown to figure things out," Carl recalls. "I'd turn up every day on my own and think, 'Right, how do I pay wages? How do I deal with HMRC?' By talking to people, I learned how the cogs worked and gained the necessary information." He turned to the CIU for guidance.
"The CIU have been fantastic, from national right down to local level," he says. "Originally it was Doncaster Branch Secretary Dave Gravel who was my main source of advice. Then he retired and the Branch was absorbed by South Yorkshire under the Branch Secretary and Union General Secretary Ken Green, who was a huge help, as is the current Branch Secretary Mark Fergusson.
"They've been there every step of the way. I had no experience of CIU rules and regulations, but they gave me the guidance I needed."
When lockdown ended, the club drew a line under the previous regime with a new President, Vice-President, Treasurer and a fresh Committee put in place. With a new team on board, the focus shifted entirely to the future.
The club, according to Carl, is now defined by its openness. "We pride ourselves on honesty," Carl states firmly. "We don't have to lock our doors or our desk drawers because we've got nothing to hide. We want to be known as the honest club and ensure that everything we do is done in plain sight of the members.
"Our new Committee has a great balance of skills but everyone is united by wanting the club to move forward and prosper."
Alongside this change in philosophy due to the vision of the then President Jim McGarry, a physical transformation of the building was undertaken with a massive refurbishment.
"It used to be one big room with a stage, snooker tables, and pool," says Carl. "As a Committee we decided to spend thousands and divided it into two with soundproofing. Now we have a games area with four big-screen televisions for football and racing, and a separate Concert Room for entertainment and private parties.
"It has made a massive difference to what we have to offer as we can now run separate events on the same evening which would have been impossible before we made these structural changes.
"It means we're even more of an asset to the local community as we can host functions, from parties to essential occasions like wakes."
This renovation has revitalised the club's offering. Live entertainment now runs every Saturday, and the club is considering adding Friday night shows. Traditional pastimes have been resurrected, with two over-55s snooker teams competiting and popular Monday night darts, dominoes, and cribbage.
Attention to detail has been key to the club's bid to get members visiting more often and staying longer. For example, the introduction of a 'Members' Playlist' during key nights.
"We play bingo on a Tuesday night," says Carl. "So we asked everyone who comes in to list their favourite song.
"We put together a playlist, and now we play it during the breaks. It sounds simple, but it makes a vast difference. People love it and it makes them feel more welcome and an integral part of the club."
Intake Social Club is the only place selling beer in the immediate area, a fact not lost on Carl and his team. Their message to the local community is clear: this is your club.
"We want everybody in Intake to be involved," he says. "It's not a case of 'I'm the Secretary or President or whatever and you do as I tell you.'
"If the membership instructs us to do something, we do it. We're just here to advise and do the necessary work behind the scenes."
This community-first approach extends to the club's finances which are looking increasingly healthy. Carl, leveraging the financial acumen accumulated in previous business roles, has locked in a favourable energy deal until 2031, insulating the club from price hikes, while he has examined every aspect of the club's outgoings in order to keep costs down.
"We've made a loss for a few years, because of the investments we have made in the club but we have a plan. We know where we can make savings. We feel the club can be here in another 25 years."
The club is just a short hop from the world-famous Doncaster Racecourse, home of the annual St Leger Festival, and is always keen to welcome in members of other CIU clubs in town for the racing.
"The club is ideal for those coming to the races as it's just a few minutes' walk from the course," says Carl. "We regularly have other CIU clubs giving us a ring in advance and then dropping in before and after the racing."
Another aspect of Intake Social Club's community spirit is its commitment to good causes. April will see Carl himself take on an ambitious charity challenge. Inspired by friends diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), the 67 year old is putting his fitness to the test.
Starting on Saturday, April 18, Carl will run the route of the Doncaster 10K every day for a week. Then, on the final day, Thursday, April 24, he will push his body to the limit: swimming 400 metres, cycling 50 miles, and then running the 10K again, finishing at the club's doors at 7pm to kick off a massive charity night.
The evening will feature a Peter Kay tribute act, Lee Lard, along with live singers, bingo, cash raffles and football cards, all with the objective of raising money for much-needed research into MND.
"Over the past three years, I have been touched by three friends being diagnosed with this terrible illness, one of these being the bar manager of the Intake Social Club who sadly had to retire in 2025," says Carl.
"We set up a Just Giving page hoping to raise £1,500," he continues. "We hit that target in just ten days. But every penny counts. A little old lady stopped me in the street and donated £1.40. She said, 'I've seen what you're doing, and I want to donate.' That £1.40 means as much as someone donating £100.
"But charity is something which is absolutely integral to the club and money is raised for good causes all through the year with members always incredibly generous.
"The way they have got behind this MND fundraiser – and other fundraisers, including a Music and Comedy Night in November 2025 which benefited the Prostate Cancer charity – is a real testament to that spirit and this latest charity challenge has been featured in the local press and on the ITV local news."
Carl's stamina is no surprise given his previous career. For 20 seasons, from 1987 to 2008, he was a Premier League match official, officiating at a full Wembley Stadium (Manchester United v Arsenal), the Millennium Stadium, Anfield, and sharing the pitch with legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Pirlo, and Iniesta.
"I was chasing 18-year-olds when I was in my 40s," he laughs. "The fitness regime was brutal during my refereeing days and I still swim, cycle, and run.
"The lads in the club always joke that I ruined Paul Gascoigne's career because I sent him off in a game. They blame me for everything he does wrong!"
With that experience, Carl is now hoping to leverage his contacts to take his MND fundraising to the next level.
"Next year, I'd love to invite Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield down and organise an annual rugby league versus football match," he reveals. "And I've been thinking – Yorkshire is swimming in musical talent. Def Leppard, Arctic Monkeys, to name just two internationally renowned Yorkshire bands.
"Why don't we have a song for MND? It needs someone to grasp the nettle, so I'm hoping to get involved in that once this challenge is out of the way."
With a diary full of events, a refurbished building, and a Secretary willing to run, swim, and cycle for charity, the future is bright.
As Carl puts it: "It's not about profit – it's about doing a good job for the members, reinvesting back into the club and ensuring that the club will endure.
"As far as I'm concerned, the club is in a great position and will be here for many, many years to come."
If you would like to support Carl's MND challenge, you can donate to the fundraising page at: www.justgiving.com/page/c-bassindale-1
