Ocean Grove RSL: future bleak

Ocean Grove RSL has predicted a bleak future for branches on the Bellarine Peninsula after discussing its future during an annual meeting this week.
Ocean Grove branch president Bill Huggins said the peninsula would probably have just one branch within a decade.
“The general feeling in the RSL is that it will probably need some sort of restructuring instead of a lot of these small sub-branches, particular in the country, going out of business because the veterans are falling away by natural attrition,” he said.
“There may come a time within the next 10 years where there will be a centralised RSL somewhere on the peninsula.”
Mr Huggins said he could not rule out a club merger after secretary David Gilroy raised potential for Ocean Grove to join the Queenscliff/Point Lonsdale branch in the February 9 Independent.
“Nothing is settled, nothing’s in concrete,” Mr Huggins said.