About The Club

The Armidale Ex-Services Memorial Club is one of Armidale’s biggest clubs providing members and guests a full range of entertainment activities. 

The Servies is active within the community providing support to a range of sporting and community groups with donations and other support. The Servies runs a number of sporting sub-clubs within its operations.

The Club is in the Centre of Armidale in close proximity to the Central Business District

  • 10 minutes from the local airport and railway station
  • Free Car parking at the rear of the Club
  • Belgrave Cinema, located next to the Club’s Bowling Greens
  • Several Motels within walking distance to the club
  • Servies bus for pickup and drop off within the town limits. 

Brief History of the Club

The Armidale Ex-Services Memorial Club’s history extends back to the end of World War I, when the Armidale Sub-Branch of the RSL had its headquarters in the Soldiers Room at the Literary Institute that was built by voluntary subscription.

At the end of WWII, the Ex-Servicemen’s organised strength was divided between the RSL and the Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women.  RSL Members decided by national ballot that membership should be restricted to those who had served overseas. Legion membership was open to all Ex-Service personnel regardless of their place of service. It was the Legion, which acquired the Club premises in Armidale. The building was largely derelict and known as the “old steam laundry”.

In 1951, the Armidale Ex-Services Club was founded at a public meeting of Ex-Servicemen attended by about 150 people. On July 18, 1951, members of the Legion Branch decided to transfer the premises to the newly formed Club. However, it was not until January 1953 that the actual transfer of the premises’ title was effected. At the Annual General Meeting of 1951, the Club had a total of 153 persons.

The premises were well over 100 years old and had operated as Richardson’s Flour Mill, a skating rink, a dance palais and a laundry. The Club also had a large debt to pay and was only able to carry on through guarantors and credit from business houses.

The Club traded for several years without a liquor licence until 1955 when the first liquor licence was granted and extensions were made to the Club. Further extensions and renovations occurred in 1958, 1960, 1963, 1972, 1979, 1996.

The Club now offers the “Old Mill” for our members dining pleasure, a multi-purpose Auditorium (seating capacity 1000), a variety of Meeting Rooms & Functions Rooms,  a Sports Lounge, Club Lounge with full TAB and Keno facilities, 2 full sized snooker tables, 2 Pool Tables, 3 indoor bowls mats, 2 dartboards, men and women bowls facilities, bowling greens and superb views over the greens and gardens. The Club also owns the property on which the Belgrave Twin Cinema has been built, for which the University of New England Union operates.

On March 8, 2003, the SERVIES, Armidale Ex-Services Club celebrated 50 years of operation!