n
( in Britain, especially in the industrial areas of the Midlands and northern England ) a club where people go after work to meet each other, drink in the bar, play games such as darts , cards and bingo , and watch entertainments including singing, dancing and comedy. Since the 1960s, many famous British entertainers have started their careers performing in these clubs. They were established in the 1850s by the church and grew in number after a central organization, the Working Men’s Club and Institute Union (WMCIU), was established in 1862.