Originally Posted by
bullbarrel
I don't know how they do it, but they are the only people who can have open days to members of the public. The one I went on not more than 4 years ago didn't even need preregistration, you brought your form along on the day.
They maybe got caught up with and had to tighten their system, as they are very definitely requiring pre-reg now.
Originally Posted by
bullbarrel
As for 'known' I guess as with all laws it needs a test case. How about Crown V Hemmers for taking a close mate he met in the pub 10 minutes before going to a a club guest day
You can be friends with someone for years and not really know them.
Well exactly. Josef Fritzl kept up his charade for decades... it's all about risk management. At the end of the day, sitting up in bed too quickly could kill you. Theoretically.
All I know is the clubs I've been a member of have quite an open policy. "Known" means the visitor is expected, not that they're long-time pals with an existing member. The police know, the Police are fine with it. In some cases the existing procedures were developed with Police input. The problem is of course it's only in the guidance, so each Force can interpret differently. All it takes is a new Chief Constable or FLO Manager who wants to be difficult to change that interpretation.
Originally Posted by
Rich
Their website says
The Tunnel is a target shooting club whose facilities are available to both its members and to the general public subject to an initial visit to the Centre. Please note that no shooting is available on the same day as the first visit.
Which actually begs the question of how the general public can shoot at all, given that clubs should not be selling "day membership".
Unless the actual hourly fee is counted as a range fee and you're either on a "Free", "Partial" or "Full" membership package that entitles you to higher or lower range fees.
So even if you only shoot once, you're registered as a member on the "Free" package.
I have no doubt it's legal, but it's all a bit complicated, which is to be expected when you try and run a business within the confines of laws that were drawn up with volunteer-run member's clubs in mind.
I would be very interested to know what the exact structure of the business is - what's part of a club, what's part of a business - what the legal framework is that they're working under.
There are very few commercial ranges in the UK, so odds are their particular arrangement with Dorset Police is unique.
Last edited by Hemmers; 15-08-2010 at 09:54 PM.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud
Shooting is my meditation