The success of the place ebbs and flows. In the late 90s when I got involved with the RAF, the place was in difficulty because it was underused and frequented primarily by a handful of old-timers.
There followed a succesful campaign to get some young blood in and get junior officers involved. Prices were set very reasonably and so in the early to mid 2000's, I and many other younger guys used the place very frequently. The Club seemed to be thriving off the back of that.
Perhaps as a result of that success they racked the prices up to the extent where I (now an airline pilot earning more than a Flt Lt) can't justify regular use of the place. I can get a hotel room of better quality than The Club, in the same area, for about half the price. Consequently I only used it once last year.
I feel they have been pricing themselves out of the market, and predictably, once again, you rarely see anyone under 40 there. The latest news from a fellow retired oficer who attended a dinner recently, was that The Club is now concerned that with the old-timers gradually fading away and with the RAF being cut back, there will be insufficient membership to support its future. The first comment is a natural truth. The second is a red herring. Encouraging greater takeup by currently serving junior officers is the key to the future of the club.
The RAF Club is great facility and I sincerely hope it prospers for many years to come. I think a better management strategy what is needed.
(If anyone knows the Air Crew Association, that organziation recently died, quite literally, because they failed to do enough to encourage a new generation of members - I would hate to see the RAF Club go the same way.)