Save Weymouth Angling Club from eviction

Angling Trust Media Release

Friday 18 October 2013 Angling Trust, the voice of angling

Save Weymouth Angling Club from Eviction

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has served Weymouth Angling Club with a notice to bring to an end the lease on its harbourside clubhouse - so that it can be demolished to make way for a car park.

113 year old Weymouth Angling Club is one of the best in the country with over 400 members, including a thriving 70-strong junior section, and has been based on the site for nearly forty years.

The Angling Trust has offered to support the club in its battle with the Council and has issued an appeal to all anglers to contact local Weymouth Councillors before a crucial vote at 10am on Monday 21 October. Details of all Councillors can be found on the Council Web Site HERE.

The highest priority councillors are the four representing wards in Weymouth, as well as Ray Banham, the Liberal Democrat Mayor (see below for more details).

All the members of the club are furious about the proposals and frightened for the future of their club if the Council decides to demolish their club house to make space for more cars. They point out that there are plenty of parking spaces available in the nearby Pavilion car park, and there is a park and ride scheme in operation in the town.

Weymouth Angling Club Chairman Billy Short said: “This clubhouse is of vital importance not only to our members, but also to the economy of Weymouth, because angling visits generate hundreds of thousands of pounds in income for the town. People come from all over the country to fish in and around Weymouth. To lose it for a few more car parking spaces is tragic, after nearly 40 years of us operating from this site. We are determined to fight this all the way.”

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust said: “These proposals have sickened anglers throughout the country. Weymouth is one of the most important ports for sea angling in the whole of the UK, and just last week hosted the Angling Trust’s National Boat Championships. The Council should be celebrating the fact that it has a thriving community club in the heart of the town providing sustainable and wholesome activity for young people that teaches them about the sea, gets them into the great outdoors and encourages healthy eating. Instead they want to knock down 40 years of angling heritage and destroy a 113 year old angling club, just to create a few extra car parking spaces.”

The Angling Trust will be attending the meeting to support Weymouth Angling Club.

List of Councillors
Jane Hall, Weymouth East, Conservative
John Birtwistle, Weymouth East, Liberal Democrat
Dominic Lonsdale, Weymouth West, Conservative
Richard Kosior, Weymouth West, Conservative
Colin Huckle, Weymouth West, Labour
Contact them via this web page:
http://webapps-wpbc.dorsetforyou.com/apps/democracy/councillors.asp as soon as possible before the deadline of 10am on Monday morning, and let them know what you think about the proposals.

Please forward this e-mail to every angler you know by clicking this link: http://anglingtrust.forwardtomyfriend.com/r-tytlzyhil-EE4B3429-njhlldy-l-d

The Angling Trust is the unified representative body that fights to protect fish and fishing on behalf of all anglers, supported by its membership of clubs, fisheries, tackle shops and individuals. Membership details at www.anglingtrust.net or on 01568 620447

Hi ,
I know this is a sea fishing club and you could say what has this got to do with us,but weymouth fishing club
is facing eviction from there clubhouse to make way for a car park.Weymouth fising club is 113 years old and has 70
juniors.I have emailed the Mayor reflecting my views and they have a vote on Monday morning.I recieved this
information by email through Angling Trust.
As anglers we should I feel we should pull together as it will make us stronger.

well done sir. i mentioned it to andy and a fella in the shop at surbiton angling, the consensus there seemed to be- if the council doesnt get its way the club house might accidently burn down like the listed building at teddington where there are now some nice new flats. I must say that is not an actual quote from either of the guys, but its strange how these things happen when "sentimentality" gets in the way of "progress". john is right lets have a little e.mail to the councilers/mps on eds doc. show a bit of interest and see what happens.

just sent the mayor an e.mail indicating my fears that a fishing port and holiday anglers mecca would probably lose at least some kudos if it bulldozed a century old monument to its livelyhood.

patrick barker wrote:

well done sir. i mentioned it to andy and a fella in the shop at surbiton angling, the consensus there seemed to be- if the council doesnt get its way the club house might accidently burn down like the listed building at teddington where there are now some nice new flats. I must say that is not an actual quote from either of the guys, but its strange how these things happen when "sentimentality" gets in the way of "progress". john is right lets have a little e.mail to the councilers/mps on eds doc. show a bit of interest and see what happens.

did'nt somthing simular happen with the three pigeons pub that suddenly burnt down, and now sports some nice river view flats.... 

Angling Trust Media Release
Tuesday 22 October. Immediate Release

Cautious Celebrations as Weymouth Angling Centre Spared from Demolition… For Now…

Anglers were celebrating today after the Weymouth Harbour Management Board rejected Council proposals to demolish the Weymouth Angling Club’s harbour-side club house and instead voted for an amendment that should see the Club given a new 10 year lease and a secure future. However, this revised proposal will now go forward to another meeting attended by other Councillors on November the 5th and so there is no guarantee that it will be adopted.

The club issued a legal challenge to the Council to renew its lease after rumours of the demolition plans emerged, on the advice of its solicitor. Club officials spent the weekend briefing all the Councillors involved and presented economic figures to demonstrate that the proposals would actually cost the Council more than they would save.

The Angling Trust highlighted news of the threat to the club’s future to its members last Friday and hundreds of anglers from all over the world contacted Councillors by e-mail over the weekend to let them know their concerns about the proposals to evict the club. An e-petition has now been launched at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-weymouth-angling-society/ and all anglers are encouraged to add their voice to ensure the club is saved.

About 20 club members and representatives of other voluntary organisations which use the building attended the meeting and most took the opportunity to speak for 3 minutes each at the meeting. Weymouth’s Mayor Ray Banham spoke passionately in opposition to the proposals and said that they should never have been brought to the Board in the first place. Several Councillors backed him up and many expressed their anger and frustration that officers had brought this proposal to them.

Several Team England anglers and successful charter boat skippers over the years have learnt to fish at the club and some of its 70 junior members are currently involved with the Angling Trust’s Talent Pathway, which aims to identify future England anglers. The Clubhouse has been the headquarters of numerous national competitions, as well as European and World Championships in recent years, because of the facilities it offers to anglers.

It was built in1974 with assistance from grants from the Sports Council (£4650), Dorset County Council (£2000), a loan from the local council (£3,000, paid back by the club with interest), and £3,000 of the club’s own funds.

Billy Short, Chairman of Weymouth Angling Club said: “Club members helped build this club house with their own hands back in 1974. Since then we have invested in new disabled access and many other modernisations. I am delighted that the club’s future at this site looks set to be secure for another 10 years, and I know this will be a relief for a wide range of community groups who share the centre with us. We are very grateful to anglers from all over the world, and to the Angling Trust, for supporting us at this time. The club’s officials have done a brilliant job to protect the club from some barmy proposals.”

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust, attended the meeting to support the club and said afterwards: “It is amazing that the Council in Weymouth could even have considered demolishing such a successful and vibrant club that not only plays a vital role at the heart of the local community, but is also recognised as the unofficial centre of national and international sea angling. We are very grateful to all the Angling Trust members who contacted Councillors over the weekend; it was great to see anglers of all disciplines uniting to support other members at a time of need. We will be maintaining the pressure on the Council until November 5th to make sure that the club can continue to use the headquarters it has used for the past 40 years.”

ENDS

Contact: Angling Trust, www.anglingtrust.net, admin@anglingtrust.net or 0844 7700616.

So you don't miss it - here is the link to the petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-weymouth-angling-society/
(There's a "donate money" bit afterwards but I think it's for the US internet site though not the club, ignore it)

Its a great result so far ,but its not over as they till the fat lady sings(Nov 5th) when Weymouth councilers
vote to give the club a ten year lease.I have just signed the on line petition and there goal is 2000
its up 1900 + so bear a few sconds to vote if you agree to support this Club.

maybe the council are trying to recoup some of the money they wasted on the olympics !

signed

Takes 20 seconds - done.

Please sign people, it's painless!


Richard