On Thursday, the club revealed that while it would continue to honour functions that have already been booked, future functions would need to self-cater or organise their own catering.

The bar will continue to be open.

The club also announced that it has teamed up with Menulog, a service that delivers takeaway food to requested locations.

Commodore Mick Henderson said the closure of the lake due to the blue-green algae and faecal bacteria problems forced them to look at cost savings.

“This was one way we could do it,” Mr Henderson said.

“It’s been on the table since before Christmas and we’ve had a series of meetings about it.

“We felt it was the best decision for the club and its members.”

Mr Henderson said that while it was difficult to place an exact figure on how much would be saved, he estimated it to be $2000 to $3000 per week.

He cited the inconsistent and fluctuating trade as a result of the decreased activities at the lake.

“The use of the lake dictates our membership,” he said.

“There was a fair bit of smell around the lake during the Christmas period so that put people off and it has a flow-on effect on the club.

“Some Sundays we could trade 40 people. Other Sundays, we trade eight,” he said.

In August 2018, the club nearly ceased operations due to financial losses.

However, the club was given a lifeline after members raised more than $15,000 at its AGM.

Anna Bolton, the club’s functions administration manager, said it was one solution to ensuring that the club survived.

“Whenever the club gets into a position like this because of the lake, the restaurant has always been questioned,” Ms Bolton said.

“This time it [ceasing catering] was the only way, unfortunately.

“We can still take functions and trade to still have a place for the members to come, which is our main objective.”

As for the trialing of a food-delivery service to replace restaurant catering, Ms Bolton said it “now gives members the chance to organise and cater the food they want”.

“We still do a members’ barbecue on Thursdays and Fridays,” she said.

“If you’ve got a function coming up, give us a try.”

As for Wagga City Council’s Envirosonic ultrasound trial to control blue green algae, Mr Henderson said it was helping.

“Hopefully there’s a chance it may reopen in the near future, but the water levels are an issue now,” Mr Henderson said.

“The only thing that’s going to get us through this year is a rain event.

“Other than that, we’re sitting patiently relying on the council and government to make a decision on diverting water to the lake.”

The club calls on the public to increase its support because the club “is a community asset”.

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