While the coronavirus pandemic had undoubtedly played a part in the decision, the reality was the club had failed to turn a profit for more than a decade.

Unfortunately, the club just wasn't attracting enough patrons to make it viable, despite the board spending millions of dollars on improvements over the years.

It is always sad to see the demise of an iconic establishment, especially in a regional town or city where entertainment options are limited compared to metropolitan areas.

Clubs, pubs, restaurants, cafes and other venues develop special places in our hearts due to the memories created there.

For those patrons who did regularly frequent the Commercial Club, they have lost an important place to connect socially.

We are all creatures of habit and the impact on people of losing something so important to them should not be underestimated.

The Commercial Club's demise had me pondering this week how the coronavirus pandemic will change the way we socialise in the future.

Will attendees at clubs, pubs, concerts, sporting events - anywhere that people gather in large numbers in close proximity - ever return to pre-COVID-19 levels?

Or will a significant proportion of the population forever shun situations in which they might be exposed to a life-threatening virus?

The last six months we have seen a lot of people turn to technology to help fill the void of face-to-face contact.

But these Zooms, Hangouts and FaceTimes have not just exposed how dreadful our internet is here in Wagga, but highlighted how there is simply no substitute for in-person contact.

Ultimately, humans are social animals and will quickly evolve and adapt in order to continue doing the things they hold dearest.

If the new normal on the other side of this pandemic simply means regularly sanitising our hands, occasionally wearing a face mask and signing in each time we enter a venue, then I think we can all live with that.

All the best for the week ahead,

Ross Tyson, editor