IT has been a tumultuous year for the Hastings Club. Declining use of gaming machines coupled with soaring government charges and taxes had changed profits into losses post-covid. Attempts to negotiate with the state government failed the situation came to a head at a special general meeting on 2 April where members voted to place the organisation into liquidation.Not all was lost, though. The committee resolved to continue and formed a new entity unencumbered by the burden the gaming machines had created. The Hastings Community and Sports Club Inc was born. The chair of the new community club, David Gibbs,…