Hartlepool MP Iain Wright will speak to representatives from the town's 31 social clubs at a meeting in Seaton Carew next week, and will hear how some of the venues are fighting for their futures following the introduction of the nationwide smoking ban last summer.

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John Denholm, secretary of the Hartlepool Clubs' Constitutional Association, said: "We are glad Mr Wright has agreed to come to the meeting, because there are some grave concerns within the industry.

"The smoking ban has had a massive impact on all of the clubs and while some are faring better than others, it's fair to say the whole industry is struggling.

"We knew the ban would have an impact, but nobody predicted it would be this bad. What we want to do is pass on our concerns to the MP, and hope that he will in turn take those concerns to parliament.

"What happens after that remains to be seen, but I don't think it is exaggerating to say that this time next year, we could be sitting here talking about clubs closing down."

Mick Hudson, treasurer of Seaton Carew Social Club, said: "We are £18,000 down on beer sales in the last six months – and we are one of the clubs that is just about coping.

"When you look at the membership, our figures have dropped from about 450 to around 300 in the last year, so we have lost a third of the members.

"People can buy cheap drink in the shops and stay at home, they don't want to be standing outside in the cold, smoking. When the members drop, there is a knock-on effect everywhere. The money over the bar drops, we have to put prices up, we don't make enough to cover the costs of putting entertainment on and so on.

"If it wasn't for the private functions we host for members, I dread to think what state we'd be in.

"We said before the ban that a room set aside for smokers would have been a better alternative, but that never happened and we are feeling the effects now."

The meeting is being held in Seaton Carew Social Club, in Station Lane, next Friday, April 25, from 7pm.

Contact John Denholm on (01429) 276028 for more information.