THE WOMEN'S liberation movement may have taken off in the 1960s - but for a small corner of Southampton time stood resolutely still.

But it seems that the revolutions of the 60s and 70s have finally caught up with the 160 members of Portswood's men only Conservative Club.

The Highfield Road club, whose past presidents include designer of the Spitfire R J Mitchell, is to close in around 18 months' time.

It's spacious rooms have been home to Conservative Portswood since the club was founded in 1912 - the year Titanic sank.

Founder members include the legendary Alderman Sir Stanley Kimber - the Southampton politician who in the 1930s was responsible for building the city council's Civic Centre and Sports Centre.

It boasts comfy armchairs, a snooker room and a cheap bar where its members can relax away from the rigours of an ever-changing world.

Now, however, time has at last caught up with the gentlemen members of the club - one of the last bastions of male only members' clubs in the country.

Declining use of the club's facilities are being blamed by members for the club's imminent closure - membership costs £22 a year.

Already, at least two potential buyers have shown an interest in taking the building off members' hands.

They are keeping tight-lipped about the selling price but the valuable plot of building land could change hands for over £1m.

It means that each of the club's 160 members, most of whom are in their 50s and 60s, look set to net over £6,000 from the sale of the Victorian building which is likely to be knocked down to make way for a block of flats.

Former club president and member of the committee charged with selling off the club Chris Bussell said: "Ladies are allowed in as guests on occasions. We have about 160 members but only 30 people use the club regularly - that is a recipe for financial disaster."

He denied that admitting women members would have saved the club from closure.

He said: "We did think about having women members here but apart from the snooker room, there is really nothing for the ladies to do. I don't think it was a question of the 1960s passing us by. We have debated the question a lot and members have always decided against it.

"If we are a dinosaur, the members have chosen to be dinosaurs. There are lots of other clubs ladies can go to. It is not a question of us excluding them."