RAF Club Thread: Not in Good Health
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So almost everyone comes on here for information Beagle but if I ask for some surely pertinent questions on an 'RAF' Club I have to go and ask the Club instead of some people on here who actually know ?
Mmmm sounds like "pull up the drawbridge" to me
or would the membership and types of numbers be embarrassing to an 'RAF' club ?
Come on blow off the moths RAF Club and let us know?
Mmmm sounds like "pull up the drawbridge" to me
or would the membership and types of numbers be embarrassing to an 'RAF' club ?Come on blow off the moths RAF Club and let us know?
Dog Tired
As an aside, next time you are there, visit next door C+G and, behind the porter's desk down the staircase, you can view quite the most amazing collection of medals and awards imaginable to ONE family.
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SOSL
I won't argue about whether or not 'rare, but not unheard of' is the same as 'virtually unheard of' it matters not frankly.
The point I am trying to make is this...
The name of the club is wrong, I think we all pretty much agree on that and that is what is upsettijng people on this forum. The club must change in order to retain it's RAF heritage, and I think we all agree on that. And the club MUST find new ways of raising membership, thus raising income and revenue and thus securing its future, and that is widley agreed also. Selling some meorablia wont save it.
So why then, when its accepted that the club can have wedding receptions there, when it can have conferences there, and when pretty much 'all and sundry' can be invited and are very often accepted, why-oh-why can we not open it up to other ranks of the RAF? I find it all quite bizarre frankly.
I know that someone will come along and say 'well, thats not what it was intended for' and they would be correct. But it was never intended for the hosting of lots of things either, and the club is turning a blind eye to that. I do genuingly think that this would be a very quick and simple solution to the problem of 'Military/service membership' and encourage more and more current OR servicemen to visit.
As for it not being sad for me, of course I would be sad. Just because I don't frequent the place doesn't mean that I am happy for our heritage to be diminished at all. On the contrary, I it's even more important that in these days of austerity, we keep hold of what little we have!
I won't argue about whether or not 'rare, but not unheard of' is the same as 'virtually unheard of' it matters not frankly.
The point I am trying to make is this...
The name of the club is wrong, I think we all pretty much agree on that and that is what is upsettijng people on this forum. The club must change in order to retain it's RAF heritage, and I think we all agree on that. And the club MUST find new ways of raising membership, thus raising income and revenue and thus securing its future, and that is widley agreed also. Selling some meorablia wont save it.
So why then, when its accepted that the club can have wedding receptions there, when it can have conferences there, and when pretty much 'all and sundry' can be invited and are very often accepted, why-oh-why can we not open it up to other ranks of the RAF? I find it all quite bizarre frankly.
I know that someone will come along and say 'well, thats not what it was intended for' and they would be correct. But it was never intended for the hosting of lots of things either, and the club is turning a blind eye to that. I do genuingly think that this would be a very quick and simple solution to the problem of 'Military/service membership' and encourage more and more current OR servicemen to visit.
As for it not being sad for me, of course I would be sad. Just because I don't frequent the place doesn't mean that I am happy for our heritage to be diminished at all. On the contrary, I it's even more important that in these days of austerity, we keep hold of what little we have!
SOSL, having read the last AGM minutes, it is readily apparent that the Royal Air Force Club is looking very healthy.
Members were privy to proposals regarding membership criteria a couple or so years ago and the resulting decisions have clearly been successful.
Members were privy to proposals regarding membership criteria a couple or so years ago and the resulting decisions have clearly been successful.
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May I ask a couple of questions?
Winco says "The name of the club is wrong, I think we all pretty much agree on that ..." Does any one here know whether there is any feeling within the Club, from the members, that the name of the club is wrong? Or is it just not an issue for them?
Also, Avionker asks "why not consider accepting Warrant Officers as members?" This must have been put to the Club's management committee. Does anyone know what their response was? Does anyone know what was the official reason given for not taking up this suggestion?
Winco says "The name of the club is wrong, I think we all pretty much agree on that ..." Does any one here know whether there is any feeling within the Club, from the members, that the name of the club is wrong? Or is it just not an issue for them?
Also, Avionker asks "why not consider accepting Warrant Officers as members?" This must have been put to the Club's management committee. Does anyone know what their response was? Does anyone know what was the official reason given for not taking up this suggestion?
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Couldn't have.
The two right hand photos are Airborne's children getting married,
(the one's with the tatts
)
The big boobed one is Slashers wedding, RIP Slasher !
The dark skinned one was an accident AA had when on det
to some foreign location
The two right hand photos are Airborne's children getting married,
(the one's with the tatts
)The big boobed one is Slashers wedding, RIP Slasher !
The dark skinned one was an accident AA had when on det
to some foreign location
Last edited by 500N; 27th Aug 2013 at 14:58.
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So the above photos can go in the club but a guy who risked his life as SNCO aircrew flying missions over Germany in WW2 isn't welcome?
Unless he went for a commission as a clipboard holder in an office, in which case the clubs attitude towards the same person would do a 180 turn overnight.
Unless he went for a commission as a clipboard holder in an office, in which case the clubs attitude towards the same person would do a 180 turn overnight.
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Thanks for your reply Winco and I'm sorry if I offended you with regard to the heritage issue, I didn't mean to.
I don't think the name of the club matters a fig; but just imagine the paperwork and cost to change it now!
As for the weddings and "all and sundry" etc. Maybe I didn't make it clear.
AS I understand it:
The RAF Club Company owns the building at 128 Piccadilly.
The RAF Club and its members are allowed to use the building as a social and residential clubhouse.
The RAF Club Company owns the RAF Club Trading Company.
The RAF Club Trading Company is allowed to use rooms in the building as venues for events to generate revenue for the RAF Club.
The RAF Club Trading Company and the RAF Club are a bit like lodger units in the same building.
Customers of the RAF Club Trading Company have nothing to do with the RAF Club - they are not invited in by the club. They make bookings with the trading company for their event, they turn up, they enjoy themselves, they pay for the service provided and then they go away.
As for "all and sundry" being accepted; the trading company has a process which checks bookings to make sure they are not inadvertently allowing undesirable factions (such as criminal or banned organizations) to hold meetings etc in the clubhouse, these won't be accepted.
If LAC Smith and his delightful young fiancée want to book their wedding in the clubhouse at 128 Piccadilly and hold a reception for all their family and friends, in the ballroom, they are entirely at liberty to do so by making a booking with the trading company.
If Warrant Officer Niceguy and his close family would like to celebrate his retirement from the RAF with a quiet luncheon in the boardroom, all he has to do is pick up the phone and call the trading company.
The RAF Club has criteria for eligibility, that is what defines a members' club. The RAF Club Trading Company is a commercial organization which will accept bookings from any respectable individual or organization.
Rgds SOS
I don't think the name of the club matters a fig; but just imagine the paperwork and cost to change it now!
As for the weddings and "all and sundry" etc. Maybe I didn't make it clear.
AS I understand it:
The RAF Club Company owns the building at 128 Piccadilly.
The RAF Club and its members are allowed to use the building as a social and residential clubhouse.
The RAF Club Company owns the RAF Club Trading Company.
The RAF Club Trading Company is allowed to use rooms in the building as venues for events to generate revenue for the RAF Club.
The RAF Club Trading Company and the RAF Club are a bit like lodger units in the same building.
Customers of the RAF Club Trading Company have nothing to do with the RAF Club - they are not invited in by the club. They make bookings with the trading company for their event, they turn up, they enjoy themselves, they pay for the service provided and then they go away.
As for "all and sundry" being accepted; the trading company has a process which checks bookings to make sure they are not inadvertently allowing undesirable factions (such as criminal or banned organizations) to hold meetings etc in the clubhouse, these won't be accepted.
If LAC Smith and his delightful young fiancée want to book their wedding in the clubhouse at 128 Piccadilly and hold a reception for all their family and friends, in the ballroom, they are entirely at liberty to do so by making a booking with the trading company.
If Warrant Officer Niceguy and his close family would like to celebrate his retirement from the RAF with a quiet luncheon in the boardroom, all he has to do is pick up the phone and call the trading company.
The RAF Club has criteria for eligibility, that is what defines a members' club. The RAF Club Trading Company is a commercial organization which will accept bookings from any respectable individual or organization.
Rgds SOS
Last edited by SOSL; 27th Aug 2013 at 15:27. Reason: grammar
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500N said in jest:
If only you knew!!!!
Raouls Rose Garden anyone?
FWIW I presonally dont give a s*** how the RAF Club is run, however if pressed, I would far rather see membership extended to at least SNCO or Warrant Officer then see it abused IMHO as a run of the mill wedding location or corporate meeting point for folk without a drop of military blood in their body. Corporate survival involves progress that is often bitter (See how close to collapse M&S got before they took credit cards) and allowing standards to reach rock bottom before venturing down the tasteful expansion (of membership criteria) route is potential economic suicide. Lets face it, even some Mess' will eventually have to be collaborative, as a minimum a common kitchen with individual dining wings.
The dark skinned one was an accident AA had when on det
to some foreign location
to some foreign location
Raouls Rose Garden anyone?
FWIW I presonally dont give a s*** how the RAF Club is run, however if pressed, I would far rather see membership extended to at least SNCO or Warrant Officer then see it abused IMHO as a run of the mill wedding location or corporate meeting point for folk without a drop of military blood in their body. Corporate survival involves progress that is often bitter (See how close to collapse M&S got before they took credit cards) and allowing standards to reach rock bottom before venturing down the tasteful expansion (of membership criteria) route is potential economic suicide. Lets face it, even some Mess' will eventually have to be collaborative, as a minimum a common kitchen with individual dining wings.
Lets face it, even some Mess' will eventually have to be collaborative, as a minimum a common kitchen with individual dining wings.
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Here is an interesting question for those RAF Club members.
By the criteria currently in place, a fair few of the crew of the Dambusters raid would not be able to be members.
If Flt Lt Les Munro, the last surviving pilot from the Raid had only been
a Fl Sgt like Flt Sgt Cyril Anderson and Flt Sgt Bill Townsend, on his return to the UK in the last few years he would not have been allowed into the RAF Club.
Isn't that a loss to the RAF Club ?
By the criteria currently in place, a fair few of the crew of the Dambusters raid would not be able to be members.
If Flt Lt Les Munro, the last surviving pilot from the Raid had only been
a Fl Sgt like Flt Sgt Cyril Anderson and Flt Sgt Bill Townsend, on his return to the UK in the last few years he would not have been allowed into the RAF Club.
Isn't that a loss to the RAF Club ?
