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, 2008 – 2010.The Club now offers the “Old Mill Bistro” for our members dining pleasure, a multi-purpose Auditorium (seating capacity 1000), a variety of Meeting Rooms & Function Rooms, a Sports Lounge with full TAB and Keno facilities, a Main Lounge with Coffee Shop, Keno, Junior & Senior kids entertainment rooms, 2 pool tables, jukebox and 2 dartboards. The Club also provides 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!