Bewl Valley

Best to boycott the place for now. It will do nothing but good for the word to get round that if a landlord gets greedy they end up with nothing. And if it puts them in breach of a covenant as grumph says then so much the better.

Edited by JimC - 09 Sep 15 at 10:32pm

Perhaps Simon could say more about what he sails and where.

There is plenty of boat storage available.

Originally posted by iGRF Originally posted by Rupert As BVSC has gone, I can't see a problem with some sort of sailing happening on a very nice piece of water. Trying to pretend that it is business a usual isn't going to gain many friends, though. With plenty of racing clubs in the area, why not do things differently, run sportives, set up a boat hire system that really works and encourages people to race club boats regularly in a one design fleet, have a really high standard of instruction and coaching, use it as a professionally run Nationals venue for big fleets, or jointly run small fleets. All sorts of things. Add in other Watersports. Hold weddings, sailing themed birthday parties. Anything but the usual Sunday race format. Rupert you're missing the point, this isn't about sailing this is about a prime piece of real estate in a country park that will yield millions in retirement dwellings just a few miles from Tunbridge Wells, as long as they uphold the covenant that the water company is held to, that's all they want us for and they don't need some snotty club objecting to their plans. So divide the water users and rule. This bit I'm not sure about, but are they letting anyone store boats there? (Acres of dinghies blocking up building plots wont be at all welcome).

The horse appears to have bolted long ago on the retirement home thing, ever since the rent was raised. Now the only question is whether the water will just be used by pottering elderly people or whether more will be made of it than that. I live nowhere near, so personally don't care, but it needs to be used as a wake up call to all clubs who rent water. A covenant saying sailing must be available doesn't have to mean a traditional club.

I'm in the fortunate position of being a member of a traditional club and working at a Watersports centre. We know from previous threads that turning a club commercial is filled with peril, and that centres don't make for nice social places. Maybe Bewl can find the fabled middle ground.

And yes, I have deliberately switched off my cynicism currently...

I grew up in the club tradition, but recently took daughter no 1 to a commercial centre for a course she particularly wanted to do. The kit and instruction at the centre was ok, and after the two days she got her certificate and away we went. Doubt we'd ever go back though. No atmosphere, no social activities, and no sense of the volunteer "putting something back" ethos that I suspect drives many of us who've spent years organising the duty rota's/maintaining the clubhouse/instructing/driving the safety boat etc all for free on behalf of our club and our sport. I live no where near Bewl so I've got no skin in this, but Rupert is right in saying this should be a wake up call. 

Edited by Late starter - 10 Sep 15 at 2:25pm