Brize Norton Officers' Mess

[Megaton]

Does anyone know if the Mess at Brize is charging the full rate (whatever that is, these days) for non-duty visitors? I was planning on coming over from the US to sit the ATPLs at Oxford in March and was looking for somewhere cheap to stay. Or am I better off looking for a Travelodge?

Maybe Admin Guru would know? :)

[ 18 January 2002: Message edited by: Ham Phisted ]</p>

[Bervie]

Probably better off in a Travelodge I would think!

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[Magic Mushroom]

HP,
Having stayed there for a couple of nights last year, I would suggest that a cage in Guantanamo Bay would be better. I never realised that there were still officers' messes that bad! Good luck with the exam.
M2

[Specaircrew]

You'll have to pay unless you can get a 'liver in' to sponsor you. No one in their right minds would pay to stay there!!

[Dan Winterland]

You get a towell at the travelodge!

[Megaton]

I had hoped that in the 2+ years I've been out of the country that common-sense might have prevailed but it sounds like the Treasury is still running things. Travelodge for me then.

[BEagle]

It's sad to see the OM at Brize being so publicly castigated. Does anyone have other views to offset the opinions posted here?

My own personal experience (largely gained from staying overnight after Dining-In nights) was of dark dingy rooms with austere fittings, no working bedside lights, tepid brown water which took an age to run hot....presumably all this has now been fixed as that was what it was like in the '80s??

[Megaton]

Is the policy of charging £25-30 per night if not on duty still enforced? Cheap accom at the Mess was a small perk but it seemed ridiculous to try and charge Travelodge rates for second rate quarters. End result: empty messes.

[Capt Widebody]

I understand that the extortionate levy was discontinued early last year and that messes will now let out rooms for a "nominal fee", i.e. to cover their costs.

Though I haven't checked all the messes, Bentley Priory was about £8 per night when I visited there. Rooms are only given to casual off duty visitors on a first-come-first-served basis, and only when their is availability surplus to requirements. My understanding of this is that although you can book a room, if the mess suddenly fills up for operational reasons, your booking will be cancelled.

I'll never forget how pleased our commanding officer was to tell us at Cranwell, that wherever we went in the country, we would always have a home from home in any of the Officers' Messes. Whatever the quality of some of them, it's good to see that sense has (apparently) finally prevailed over the B7B rate nonsense which followed contractorisation.

Any PMCs out there care to verify that this is indeed the case for the whole RAF now?? And do the Sgts Messes run the same system?

[PoorPongo]

Heard the same as Capt W the other day and can verify that Halton was £11 a night so it's probably worth a try.

pp

[Mick Stability]

Large, dull and full of Blunties as I remember. On the many occasions we nightstopped at BZZ we stayed in Burford B&B. The Lamb Inn????

[Night NVG Goggles]

The Mess at Brize has its moments, not that many though! The Mess can be very quiet, this is especially true over the last couple of months and at present due to the recent events and Ex SS2. It is true that the state of the accommodation is very poor, in particular the transit accommodation. It also does not help that there is an extremely active social life for the guys who live out in Oxford and especially Cheltenham. Things may improve when Lyneham closes and Albert moves up to a straight runway!. .Also it does not help that the place is full of bl**dy movers!