Royal Air Force Club
Gentlemen, may I remind you about what happened to the previous thread? http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...cadilly-2.html. Pointless bickering got that one closed, let's not see that happen again please?
Further to post 144, I have received a lengthy reply from Gp Capt Tony Banks. It has come in the form of an actual snail-mail letter, not email, so I cant give you a link to it, but I will do my best to summarise the points he made.
Dress - The committee is going to review the rules on wearing ties, as there is a tendency for people to dispense with ties at work, even when wearing a suit.
Running Horse - Allied to the previous point, they are going to look at the possibility of keeping the Running Horse open later than at present, as even with present rules members may use this bar in more relaxed dress than other public rooms.
Room Bookings - A new software system for room bookings will enable the club to track members room requests and give them priority if possible on their next request if they have been disappointed in a previous one. Occupancy rates currently stand at 80% over the year, with January and August tending to be quieter months.
Membership Fees - Apparently newly-commissioned officers now pay an annual membership fee of £5 (sic) for their first five years! All serving officers thereafter pay half a day's pay, while retired officers pay £131 p.a. The committee thinks this last figure represents good value for money, however this means that they are paying more than all serving officers up to the rank of Air Commodore. (Serving Group Captains please note - I am subsidising your RAF Club membership!).
Country Membership - Apparently the committee have considered this in the past, but they consider that any increase in revenue they receive from increased membership would be more than offset by the reduction in membership fees received from members who are currently paying the full fee but would immediately benefit from the lower fee for country membership. They also felt that it would be unfair to those members who currently live close to or in London but who do not use the club regularly. They do not think there is any likelihood of a reduction in fees for retired officers.
Well all I can say is - I tried! It rather seems that it is going to be business as usual, with few of the suggestions made throughout the thread meeting much favour. If you feel strongly about anything then why not contact the club yourselves? They at least appear willing to listen, if not actually to make any changes!
btw I have just made a room reservation for a weekend in December, and while I was able to get a room ok, a lot had already gone, and I couldnt get the actual type of room I wanted (large double).
TTN
Dress - The committee is going to review the rules on wearing ties, as there is a tendency for people to dispense with ties at work, even when wearing a suit.
Running Horse - Allied to the previous point, they are going to look at the possibility of keeping the Running Horse open later than at present, as even with present rules members may use this bar in more relaxed dress than other public rooms.
Room Bookings - A new software system for room bookings will enable the club to track members room requests and give them priority if possible on their next request if they have been disappointed in a previous one. Occupancy rates currently stand at 80% over the year, with January and August tending to be quieter months.
Membership Fees - Apparently newly-commissioned officers now pay an annual membership fee of £5 (sic) for their first five years! All serving officers thereafter pay half a day's pay, while retired officers pay £131 p.a. The committee thinks this last figure represents good value for money, however this means that they are paying more than all serving officers up to the rank of Air Commodore. (Serving Group Captains please note - I am subsidising your RAF Club membership!).
Country Membership - Apparently the committee have considered this in the past, but they consider that any increase in revenue they receive from increased membership would be more than offset by the reduction in membership fees received from members who are currently paying the full fee but would immediately benefit from the lower fee for country membership. They also felt that it would be unfair to those members who currently live close to or in London but who do not use the club regularly. They do not think there is any likelihood of a reduction in fees for retired officers.
Well all I can say is - I tried! It rather seems that it is going to be business as usual, with few of the suggestions made throughout the thread meeting much favour. If you feel strongly about anything then why not contact the club yourselves? They at least appear willing to listen, if not actually to make any changes!
btw I have just made a room reservation for a weekend in December, and while I was able to get a room ok, a lot had already gone, and I couldnt get the actual type of room I wanted (large double).
TTN
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Hmm,
Interesting... for whatever reason the times I have been there its been pleasant experience, with the front desk staff polite and helpful.
Dinner there of Friday was great...and no ties needed!
Interesting... for whatever reason the times I have been there its been pleasant experience, with the front desk staff polite and helpful.
Dinner there of Friday was great...and no ties needed!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Reservations have always been an issue though that said only once have I had to be accommodated in the club next door. I have managed no-notice bookings once when my flight back to unit was delayed and rather than spend 3 days or more in Gateway I was able to stay in the Club. After 7/7 Mrs PN was able to book me a room.
Last year we had a mutual screw up in bookings - I booked (or thought I had) 3 rooms but they only reserved 2. They were able to provide a 3rd at the desk.
I am sure there used to be be a limited time for reservations - 3 months or so - which was of some benefit to out-of-townies working up North but the biggest benefit was book early cancel late.
Now the unlimited (?) time at which you can book really benefits retirees like myself who can plan (and do) up to 2 years in advance. These early bookings are also essential when attracting overseas visitors from reciprocal clubs who may wish to get their arrangements secured years in advance.
Last year we had a mutual screw up in bookings - I booked (or thought I had) 3 rooms but they only reserved 2. They were able to provide a 3rd at the desk.
I am sure there used to be be a limited time for reservations - 3 months or so - which was of some benefit to out-of-townies working up North but the biggest benefit was book early cancel late.
Now the unlimited (?) time at which you can book really benefits retirees like myself who can plan (and do) up to 2 years in advance. These early bookings are also essential when attracting overseas visitors from reciprocal clubs who may wish to get their arrangements secured years in advance.
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I needed to stay in London at short notice last week - a room was available and the price was half what I could have got at a hotel through something like Last Minute.com (having read this thread I had a look to make a comparison). This pretty much saved my annual membership fee. I've always found the Club very helpful and if Mrs Approach needs to stay in Town she feels happier there than in a hotel.
If I looked for a criticism the Running Horse and bar meals could be available later into the evening
If I looked for a criticism the Running Horse and bar meals could be available later into the evening
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TTN, thank you for all your efforts.
The biggest bonus personally would be the Running Horse staying open later and food available later there.
Dress - well I guess this is a 'sign of the times' personally I always wear a tie in town but the younger Royals and our PM seem to dispense with them frequently in public.
Country membership - OK,fair enough, I will still maintain my membership.
The biggest bonus personally would be the Running Horse staying open later and food available later there.
Dress - well I guess this is a 'sign of the times' personally I always wear a tie in town but the younger Royals and our PM seem to dispense with them frequently in public.
Country membership - OK,fair enough, I will still maintain my membership.
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Not The RAF Club Again
I was an early joiner as a result of a kind invitation from the Station Commander at RAF Church Fenton sometime in 1965. We student pilots were informed that the RAF Club had to be saved and we were the boys to do it. Apparently the Club was doing its best to persuade the retired Air Marshals to go somewhere else and let the young ones have a look in. It was explained that we could join at a reduced rate and any APO who didn't want to join could explain himself to the beak later! Since I was not then an angry young man (I am now definitely an angry old man), I did as I was told (sorry, I mean I could not resist such a wonderful offer) and duly joined. Over the years, I have remained loyal, paying my dues and occasionally visiting the Club. I have seen it improve considerably since the 1960s and I think it's a Club worth belonging to. It has a peaceful (mostly) and smart ambience and the food is occasionally quite good. The rooms are very presentable and no smaller than some top notch hotels I have visited in London. The staff are now very pleasant (I have forgiven the Italian waiter who asked me to leave the dining room on a boiling hot day in 1981 because I wasn't wearing a jacket and tie to breakfast). The Club has always been surrounded with controversy concerning dress, cost, room availability, children, denim blah, blah, blah. I am amazed that any serving officer would not wish to join and as for worries over affordability - well words fail me! RAF officers have always been paid a salary ranging from 'moderately good' to 'jolly good', dependent upon the particular time of service and of course rank achieved (I just snuck into the senior officer band when they weren't looking). Although some ex-officers who retired many, many years ago may be short of the readies, I think the rest of us can afford 130 quidlets a year. The Royal Air Force is getting smaller and we ought to try a little harder to keep some of the things of value in a world (and country) which is disappearing down the plughole faster than a Lightning on heat. To those still serving who do not value the RAF Club may I say that you very well might when you leave the RAF and we'll all miss it when it's gone. Here endeth the lesson, please all stand!
Spurn Head - joined same time after ditto intro at Cranditz. Resigned reluctantly when I virtually stopped going to London, and in emergency I had 2 sons and a brother there! Miss it though. And Tony Banks continues to do a great job (last seen in Malvern after a School Speech Day some years back)
We can all moan (and do) but I think that you have got it right, spurn. There will always be something that is not right but overall I have found the Club has shown improvement in the many years that I have been a critical serving and retired member! Only use it a couple of times a year but find it very comfortable and a place that I can show to guests from overseas, they find it amazing!!
Had booked a couple of 'Park View' rooms for my family visit to London (we don't get out much!) several months in advance - did the usual confirmation etc only to find upon arrival that the new booking system had deleted my preferences requests - staff handled it very well and although I didn't get my room with a view I was allocated suitable rooms to make up for the error......
four happy-ish campers and a great night was had by all - with the added commotion of returning from the West End to find 128 evacuated - meaning we had to pop off for another couple of drinks whilst the emergency services sorted it out!
leaking fridge juice apparently!
great facility - just wished I had the opportunity to use it more.
four happy-ish campers and a great night was had by all - with the added commotion of returning from the West End to find 128 evacuated - meaning we had to pop off for another couple of drinks whilst the emergency services sorted it out!
leaking fridge juice apparently!
great facility - just wished I had the opportunity to use it more.
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No chips, no attitude and no envy but for me that sums up everything that is wrong with today's Royal Air Force. We strive for PC but the class society still exists and the "hyacinth boo kays" attitude as exhibited above is just wrong.
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We strive for PC but the class society still exists
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SFFP
Oh really?
It seems to me that a person who repeatedly expresses critical views about an organisation of which he has no right to membership and presumably no intimate knowledge ("reading" apart), and lives and works with those that do, must possess at least one of those traits.
Suggest you read more carefully to ascertain a more balanced view.
Recently there was a function at the Club where ex-SNCO colleagues were invited. There was no whiff of anything other than pleasantness, and as with all other guests that I've invited previously, their comments were unanimously complimentary. I hope that one day you have a similar opportunity - but don't bother to comment, I can guess your reaction already.
No chips, no attitude and no envy
It seems to me that a person who repeatedly expresses critical views about an organisation of which he has no right to membership and presumably no intimate knowledge ("reading" apart), and lives and works with those that do, must possess at least one of those traits.
Reading through this thread about high membership costs, poor service, poor availability, outdated dress regs etc etc why on earth would any SNCO wish to join the RAF Club
Recently there was a function at the Club where ex-SNCO colleagues were invited. There was no whiff of anything other than pleasantness, and as with all other guests that I've invited previously, their comments were unanimously complimentary. I hope that one day you have a similar opportunity - but don't bother to comment, I can guess your reaction already.
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So lets set the scene........SNCO's all sitting comfortably at the bar swapping yarns, in walks SAC Bloggs........light the blue touch paper....
I'll get my coat
GGR
I'll get my coat
GGR
