RAF CLUB
Join Date: Sep 2000
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The VSC is great - no airs and graces, but a lot of tradition all the same. I looked at joining the In and Out, but their annual membership was a touch high for the amount of time I spend in the Smoke. As a senior cop they would consider an application from me. Maybe something similar could be a way forward for the RAF club. I'd give them £ 134 a year just to expand my options. I like to know where I am going and what I am getting (OCD) rather than having to trawl lastminute and expedia to try and get a decent deal.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: God's own county
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Polo shirts to me would be acceptable in line with most mess regs at weekends. Clearly having members use the Club at weekends is great, but not ideal if there aren't making use of the full facilities.
In fairness to the Club, the offer of free event hire for a room is a fantastic.
In fairness to the Club, the offer of free event hire for a room is a fantastic.
Free room hire....well, sort of. A couple of weeks ago I was back in London and wanted to hold a reasonably discreet meeting with a visiting academic. My immediate thought was to use the RAF Club and I enquired whether I could use one of the small meeting rooms - no need for beverages, VAs - just 2 chairs and a table. As a member I was quoted GBP50 for 2 hours use of the President's Room.
I declined and we met in the business suite in the basement. Luckily tehre was no one else around and the meeting went well - and there's free tea and coffee too!
I declined and we met in the business suite in the basement. Luckily tehre was no one else around and the meeting went well - and there's free tea and coffee too!
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.
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.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: God's own county
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We clearly aren't looking at the same site because I am seeing central hotels 4* and 5* for £200 - £240. Have you tried the military discount at many of the good hotels such as Malmaison or St Pancreas Renassance Hotel? Maybe you are just magnetically drawn to the RAF Club, in which case good luck to you.
Join Date: Sep 2009
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I'm dismayed to hear that the Club dress code has been relaxed to allow open necked shirts. The point about being tieless is that is exposes the neck. And, without a rule to determine how many shirt buttons should be fastened, it risks revealing part of the upper torso. While such a display may be acceptable on the squash court it is not appropriate for Club rooms particularly where ladies may be present.
The answer is to bring back the cravat; a very attractive neckwear item popular with young officers in my day. Worn with a blazer and 'ratting' cap at station sports day, it lent an air of seemliness to the occasion.
I have to say that for several months on first being commissioned I wore a cravat in bed. It was a matter setting the right tone in the presence any of the Mess batting staff who might enter my room. There were standards in those days.
The answer is to bring back the cravat; a very attractive neckwear item popular with young officers in my day. Worn with a blazer and 'ratting' cap at station sports day, it lent an air of seemliness to the occasion.
I have to say that for several months on first being commissioned I wore a cravat in bed. It was a matter setting the right tone in the presence any of the Mess batting staff who might enter my room. There were standards in those days.
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Gentlemen.
Please excuse a mere civilian from intruding on this Military forum but I wish to ask a genuine question.
If the RAF Club wishes to attract more members to maintain its viability and has to resort to advertising for Civil Servants, why does it not open its membership to existing non-officer RAF personnel?
I spend quite some time every year at RAF Linton on Ouse and meet all ranks of personnel and the enlisted members of staff appear quite civilized, well dressed, and well educated. At Linton there is also a dining facility used by all ranks and it seems to work quite well.
After all this is the 21st Century and enlisted personnel's money is as good as anyone's, isn't it?
Please excuse a mere civilian from intruding on this Military forum but I wish to ask a genuine question.
If the RAF Club wishes to attract more members to maintain its viability and has to resort to advertising for Civil Servants, why does it not open its membership to existing non-officer RAF personnel?
I spend quite some time every year at RAF Linton on Ouse and meet all ranks of personnel and the enlisted members of staff appear quite civilized, well dressed, and well educated. At Linton there is also a dining facility used by all ranks and it seems to work quite well.
After all this is the 21st Century and enlisted personnel's money is as good as anyone's, isn't it?
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'You must at least wear a cravat old boy'
'...without a rule to determine how many shirt buttons should be fastened, it risks revealing part of the upper torso. The answer is to bring back the cravat.'
why does it not open its membership to existing non-officer RAF personnel?
Come on Beags, or Pontius, this seems right up your street!
It was bad enough when they started letting in Supplementary List people..... Henlow oiks and the like...
Some probably attended grammar schools, whatever those are.
No, of course that wasn't serious. But the question of eligibility has been raised oft times and simply does not warrant repetition.
Some probably attended grammar schools, whatever those are.No, of course that wasn't serious. But the question of eligibility has been raised oft times and simply does not warrant repetition.
Last edited by BEagle; 24th May 2012 at 17:46.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Whenever the issue of opening the RAF Club to non-officers (or similar debates about messes on stations), there is always the assumption from some that the system is some obsolete classist conspiracy by officers to keep 'them' out. It wrongly assumes JRs, SNCOs and WOs would like nothing more than to spend their social time with officers if only we would let them... Which is clearly not true.
I had a great bunch of people (with the odd exception) in all the jobs I did as a JO flight commander. Sometimes, we also had some good nights out as a flight... But not every Friday. My JRs would have had no desire to hang out with the boss all the time and vice-versa. It's nice for everyone to get away from the structured heirachies of the day job and relax. Ironically perhaps, the mess system allows that (sort of).
Applying the same principle to a London club, one of my corporals on a romantic weekend with his wife does not wish to stay somewhere where he might see me and a load of other JOs smashed at a sqn reunion... And vice-versa.
I had a great bunch of people (with the odd exception) in all the jobs I did as a JO flight commander. Sometimes, we also had some good nights out as a flight... But not every Friday. My JRs would have had no desire to hang out with the boss all the time and vice-versa. It's nice for everyone to get away from the structured heirachies of the day job and relax. Ironically perhaps, the mess system allows that (sort of).
Applying the same principle to a London club, one of my corporals on a romantic weekend with his wife does not wish to stay somewhere where he might see me and a load of other JOs smashed at a sqn reunion... And vice-versa.
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Applying the same principle to a London club, one of my corporals on a romantic weekend with his wife does not wish to stay somewhere where he might see me and a load of other JOs smashed at a sqn reunion... And vice-versa.
If the RAF Club wishes to attract more members to maintain its viability and has to resort to advertising for Civil Servants, why does it not open its membership to existing non-officer RAF personnel?
S-D