The Ashton Club started in 1924 and opened with about 25 members and by 1926 they were up to 180 members.
As of today, the club at Sheep Street has over 1000 paid and up-to-date members who benefit from what the club has to offer.
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Being a member of the club, allows you to benefit from the cheap alcohol prices, routinely run trips for our members and their guests and in-house events such as karaoke nights, family afternoon BBQs and themed members’ evenings.
There is also a monthly games night that has been running for almost two years now which includes bingo, a quiz with a Bicester round and play your cards right.
Trips that the club have been on in past years include the seaside, dog racing, horse racing, sporting events
Members are able to sign two guests in while visiting and non-members are able to attend certain events such as the Ascot racing day.
The themed nights are strictly members only as the club gets redecorated and members regularly receive free food, drinks and prizes for best dressed.
The club’s committee decided to host four members-only evenings this year to celebrate to 100 year anniversary.
An Elton John tribute act performed at the club on Saturday for penultimate events with a race evening finishing the anniversary celebrations later this year.
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The club has several sports teams too including darts, pool, aunt sally, dominoes, and most recently the Ashton Villa football team who will be playing in the Upper Thames Valley Sunday League this season.
Chairman Lee Wanless said: “We have already had a lot of events this year which saw the club full of members, which is fantastic to see.
“We continuously have new members wanting to join each month, which goes to show how popular the place is.
“This also means we can keep competitive with our drinks prices.
“The committee have worked especially hard this year to put on events for the 100-year celebration and its members, this has also seen the reformation of the Ashton Villa football team.
“It has been a great year so far and long may the celebrations continue”.
Last year, the club awarded two of its members with lifetime memberships for the first time in its history.
The first went to 94-year-old John Vinall who is currently the longest-serving member of the club, having been a member for over 70 years
The second award was to the late Pete Ward who had been a “well-known” and “dearly missed” member for over 50 years before passing away in June.
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About the author
Rob is a digital reporter who covers a wide range of topics.
He joined the Oxford Mail in February 2023 having previously been at sister paper The Bucks Free Press for two years.
Rob completed a Sports Journalism degree before earning his NCTJ Diploma at Darlington College and can be found on X at @RobertFolker.