Marathon Pundit: No bailout? Scottish Laurel and Hardy clubs feeling recession's pinch

The Sons of the Desert, named for a popular Laurel and Hardy film, is an international group for fans of the Anglo-American comedy duo.

The Scottish chapters are in a "fine mess," The Scotsman is reporting. It's not just Citibank and General Motors who are victims of the worldwide recession.

Now organizers are saying pubs and clubs where they meet have put up the rent for the rooms used and they have no choice but to charge members more. And they fear if fans are unable to find the extra cash, they will leave the club and use the internet to contact fellow members instead.

But Charlie Lewis, 47, "Grand Sheik" of one of the biggest tents in Scotland, says he will fight to prevent that. Mr Lewis, from the Block-Heads tent – named after the 1938 film – said he had been forced to raise annual membership fees by almost a £1 a month to £25.

He said: "We are determined to fight the credit crunch and would even meet in people's homes if it came to the push.