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Thread: HELP Please - from anyone close to Norwich.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    HELP Please - from anyone close to Norwich.

    I don't suppose many of you know of the Norwich City Target Club, that has rented premises from the local County Council since 1983.
    But we've been given notice to quit our range by the end of April.
    We've tried to have this decision reversed, with no success and we suspect that there is some prejudice against shooting sports, although this is denied !
    We've been actively looking for somewhere to move the range to, but time is running out.
    If anyone has, or knows of a building, in or close to Norwich that might be suitable, we'd love to hear about it.
    Ideally, we'd like somewhere about 15 metres square, but in the interim, we'd be happy with something smaller, as a short term arrangement.
    Failing that, if you know where we could store our furniture and equipment for a while, that would help.
    Thanks.
    sj

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    This is very bad news - I hope you can find a suitable place for the club to move into.

    Over 35 years your club is well established and has a good reputation so this is a travesty.
    Last edited by zooma; 07-03-2018 at 04:19 PM.
    Rossendale Target Shooting Club. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening 7 - 10pm.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    christchurch
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    Have you taken legal advice about the Notice to Quit?
    Just because they want you out doesnt mean you have to go.

  4. #4
    RobinC's Avatar
    RobinC is offline Awesome Shooting Coach and Author.
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    We have spent the last months fighting it legally, the grounds they has used there is no possibility to contest it, we have also worked tirelessly to fight it politically through the council (like sticking needles in your eyes!), and with many councillors, the chairman of the council, the leader, and the chairman of the relevant committee, (all as much use as a chocolate fireguard).

    Then the CEO of the Council, who has done nothing other than copy replies from the lowest council official we first came across, we have involved MP's, some who did not even reply, but some who have fought on our behalf, and been treated with the same contempt as us, being sent standard copied replies from previous mail!

    We sent to the Sports Minister who replied eventually with an answer so stupid and irrelevant, just a disgrace, that you can probably hear me swearing now!

    So yes, every channel has been fought, and exhausted, NCTC, probably one of the premier clubs in the UK, never not had GB team members, we have several currently, junior and senior, rifle and pistol, several British champions (including currently) many British records, it means nothing to the County Council, we are stuffed!

    I don't wish to get into discussions, we just need a site.

    As SJ says, the only thing we need now is an indoor building with ideally enough for ten metres plus, (14 meteres) and as wide as possible, but to survive we would take any thing as a stopgap.

    Robin
    Walther KK500 Alutec expert special - Barnard .223 "wilde" in a Walther KK500 Alutec stock, mmm...tasty!! - Keppeler 6 mmBR with Walther grip and wood! I may be a Walther-phile?

  5. #5
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    Perhaps this is an example of the kind of case that (presumably) the NSRA will be supporting with some vigour to make sure they have done everything that they can possibly do to help save this well established premier English shooting club and overcome this notice of eviction after 35 years of residence.

    If 'senior" clubs like this that can boast several current and previous Olympic, National and Country Squad members (whose president is none other than Mick Gault) don't get any support at the highest possible levels, then what chance does any other shooting club have that is faced with the unfair loss of their time established home?

    If the NSRA cannot help to save this club then their target of gaining a 5% growth in members this year (NSRA On Target magazine Autumn 2017) will be seriously weakened and other new clubs could be discouraged from joining.

    Lets hope the Norwich Club can get the help it needs to "stay put" in their home of over 35 years or to find some suitable and local property to rehouse them in so they can continue to thrive for at least another 35 years!
    Last edited by zooma; 07-03-2018 at 08:52 PM.
    Rossendale Target Shooting Club. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening 7 - 10pm.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Norwich
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    1,049
    this is sad :-( i enjoyed my time at the club.

    Best wishes, hope you find somewhere soon.
    Thanks - Geoff.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Oakham
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    If the NSRA cannot help to save this club then their target of gaining a 5% growth in members this year (NSRA On Target magazine Autumn 2017) will be seriously weakened and other new clubs could be discouraged from joining.
    What would you want the NSRA to do, bearing in mind that don’t have any (or many) votes in Norwich? I would hope that the club contacted the Association as soon as they were advised of the termination of the lease, told them what action they were taking and asked for advice. But in all honesty, reading what they have done there is little more that could have been done. The legal avenues appear to have been explored and they have done their best to argue their case but this seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe they should approach British Shooting to try and garner support for the GB representative aspect, maybe they have already done this.

    One could also imagine that they might have been in a slightly stronger position had they taken the time to register as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC). It wouldn’t have done any harm.

    Whilst NGBs can offer support and advice, in truth there is little they can achieve in practical terms. Have you ever heard of the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) managing to get a pool closure stopped?

    NGBs will offer support, even if it is just to confirm that you’re already doing the right things, but they can’t offer much more; any of them. The moral of the story is, if you don’t own your own property it must be your aim to do so.

    Rutty

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