A couple's wedding reception was cancelled six weeks before the big day - because the venue is due to be demolished.

Club managers at the Bevendean Sports and Social Club sent out letters this week cancelling events because the bulldozers are moving in next month. The club will make way for housing.

Those who have booked wedding receptions, engagement parties and other celebrations have been offered their cash back.

David Barnes and Joyce Millard, of Albion Hill, Brighton, are getting married on March 30.

They booked their reception at the club in Bevendean Road, Bevendean, Brighton, on October 17 last year.

The couple received a message from the club on their answering machine this week saying the reception was cancelled and they should collect their money from the venue.

Mr Barnes, 63, said: "It's not good enough. We've sent out invitations. It's all right for them to say come and get your money back. They should have to pay me something extra."

Mrs Millard, 61, said: "They must have known the place was being knocked down. Why did they take bookings if they knew this was happening?"

The couple will now hold the reception at the Moulsecoomb Social Club in Brighton.

They say compensation is due because they have been forced to pay more for the alternative venue.

They have also had to re-send 80 invitations.

Mrs Millard said: "We're lucky we've found somewhere else.

"The lady at the Moulsecoomb club said she'd had about eight other people on the phone who had been cancelled from the Bevendean club. It has been very stressful."

The leaseholder for the Bevendean club, Mick - who refused to give his surname - said the club would operate until March 11.

He said: "I've cancelled the events and sent out letters. All I can do is apologise."

He said he was not sorry to be leaving the club as it had been plagued with burglaries and vandalism.

He added: "All the members knew it was going to be knocked down but we never knew when."

He said it was his manager's decision to accept bookings.

The manager was unavailable for comment.