A wrangle over a much-loved community hall could leave a group of Maidstone pensioners with nowhere to go.

Barming Active Retirement Association (BarmARA) has been told from September, after 15 years of monthly meetings at Fant Community Hall, it is losing its three-hour booking slot to the Busy Lizzy nursery.

Members of the club, which runs activities, outings and social events for about 100 older people, say their members have been left with no alternatives.

However, the hall’s managers say if changes aren’t made the charity running the Fant Lane centre would be forced to close.

Laurie Moore, a retired paramedic and BarmARA committee member, said: “We attended a meeting with the lady that runs the booking of the hall and were told we were kicked out of the hall because they couldn’t fit us in.

“You are talking about a group of people in their 70s and 80s.”

The 81-year-old added: “There are not many other halls around that are suitable.”

The dispute revolves around a government scheme beginning this summer allowing parents working more than 16 hours a week and earning less than £100,000 to claim an extra 15 hours of free childcare.

The initiative proved popular with families but has stretched nurseries which must either extend opening hours or face losing valuable business.

Pam Kennard, treasurer at the hall, owned by Maidstone Borough Council and managed by a charity run by Sharon Mansfield and husband Darren, said BarmARA had been offered other times, including weekends and school holidays.

She said: “The main source of income to the hall is from the nursery and that pays all the bills. If the nursery went we would have to shut the hall anyway.”

Fant Ward’s Cllr Matt Boughton (Con), said he hoped the problems could be resolved: “Though the government rightly wants to encourage nurseries to be as accessible as possible, it is important this is not at the expense of groups like BarmARA who contribute a lot for older people in the community.

“I’m contacting the hall organisers to see if a sensible resolution can be found which can accommodate both these important activities. With sensible scheduling, I’m sure Fant Hall can remain a suitable venue for all.”