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Old 24th May 2012, 11:23
  #46 (permalink)  
Basil
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: UK.
Posts: 4,390
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Last year I wrote the following to the Club Management Trustees:

Thank you for the letter from our Chairman asking for comment upon safeguarding the future of The Club.
I am thankful and relieved that we have trustees and staff members who are prepared to devote their time and effort to securing our viability.

Merge with another suitable club? Not one with huge debts and no assets.
Club with own freehold premises which could be let?
Only suitable one I can think of is the Naval & Military Club and I have no idea of their circumstances.
In any case that would perhaps generate an undesirable spike in membership numbers.

I'd agree with expansion of membership to air-minded organisations.
If airline pilots were included they may have to curb their 'room party' culture in the interests of late night peace in the accommodation corridors

I would be happy with PC move to library but would not wish the library to be used for meetings.
An alternative would be to use the Club Bar as a PC room, leaving the library as at present.
Probably advisable to leave one PC in the study.
Convert TV room seems a good idea.
The club facilities could be enhanced relatively cheaply by converting one of the squash courts, the one without a gallery, into a small gymnasium.

My wife suggested an increased membership subscription. My view is that, although some clubs have far higher fees and subscriptions than the RAFC, I don't think increasing those would be beneficial inasmuch as it would tend to discourage potential members who are not within easy reach of London.

I presume that all efforts have been made to attract retired officers, perhaps using MoD records. If that constitutes a breach of confidentiality, I wonder if MoD would undertake to address and mail invitations to join on repayment by The Club?

No matter what is decided, may I suggest that non-RAF membership is phased in under control and limited to avoid having too many members which would lead to unacceptable pressure on facilities such as our bedrooms.
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