Message from the President

DEAR VISITOR

Welcome to our website!  We hope you will find it interesting, and look forward to further enquiries from you.

In 1971 our Founder Members had the vision to create a place where young and old Italian expatriates could meet to play their favorite games, eat traditional Italian food, organise events in order to maintain and promote Italian culture and traditions in South Africa. That place was the first Nigel Italian Club, situated in Spaarwater, about 4 kilometers from the present location, on the old road to Johannesburg.

The Club was very successful, in few years membership raised to hundreds. Many parties held at the Nigel Italian Club became the main topic of discussion in town for quite a while. There was no television in those days, and the best Sunday attraction was the broadcast from Italy of the 1st division soccer matches on the short-waves radio. In 1979, due to expiring of lease agreement, the Club was relocated to present premises in Springs Road.
Since the Club acquired this property, a lot of improvements have taken place, including the pizzeria, the bowling building, and the main hall that was inaugurated in 1991.

By the early 1980s’, due to better economic conditions in Italy, the flow of immigration from Italy to South-Africa ceased, causing a steady membership decline over the years.
Despite this, our Club has consistently improved its finances and infrastructures, by marketing itself to all population groups, however without compromising on the Italian standard of cuisine and service.
We plan to move in the direction of an “Italian Sporting Club” that will be open to everybody wishing to be part of it. We will be negotiating with Nigel Municipality for the acquisition of more land for the construction of soccer fields and other sporting facilities.

Thank you for visiting our website, and look forward to have you as guest at the Nigel Italian Club for a truly traditional Italian meal.

Arrivederci