There is new pressure on a crumbling car park, which may have to close to the public, after insurers warned it needs to be properly surfaced.

Although privately owned, Sheerness East Working Men’s Club in Halfway allows non-members to use its entrance way.

These include parents on the school run at neighbouring Halfway Houses Primary and coach companies picking up and dropping off groups.

Due to the amount of traffic, the Queenborough Road site is falling into disrepair and is now full of pot-holes.

This problem was previously reported in the Times Guardian in June last year.

Now, the club’s insurance company has written to say the state of the surface could be a hazard and therefore may invalidate its cover.

Manager Dave Smith is waiting for quotes as to how much it would cost to tarmac the plot, but estimates it could be about £50,000.

He said: “We are going to have to think hard about whether to keep it open to the public because no one has given us any money.

“At the moment, I turn a blind eye to the parents because they are only in there for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the afternoon and it provides a public service.

“We do feel that although we are privately run, we want to help the community.”

He said he plans to arrange a meeting with the school and also ask whether Kent County Council and Swale council would be prepared to contribute towards the cost given its use by the public.

Mr Smith added parking restrictions planned to be introduced at the nearby car park in Minster Road could add more pressure if commuters choose to park at the club instead.

He added if the club cannot find the money it may have to close the car park all together, which would mean losing revenue from people who want to use the club.

Last year, a KCC spokesman said the council would be happy for the club to contact it to discuss the issue further to see if anything can be done.