From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Up here in the far North we are suffering grave problems
getting Full Bore rifle dates on MOD ranges. There are only
two in the immediate area, Whitburn and Ponteland, the first
has been closed for a year (probably won't re-open, the MOD
will decide to sell it for housing I suspect) and Civillians at
Ponteland have been told they can't shoot if there is there is
no Military present. Also fees have gone up to L35 a lane per
day, the MOD says it needs to re-coup it's costs.
Firstly. Do we, as affiliated clubs to the NRA, which is a
registered charity due to it's "Defence of the realm" aims, have
to put up with this. Are we obliged to pay anything the MOD
throws at us?
Secondly. Why are we not allowed to shoot with no Military
prescence. Again, we are NRA affiliated clubs who have
qualified RO's, where is the problem? Someone said to me
years ago that if the club had the MOD "licence" to use the
range we could turn up at any time with the requisite number
of People (Eight I believe?) and take a range if it was not
already being used, can anyone comment on this?
Of course no one from the club Committies is arguing this with
the MOD as most of them are far too gutless. We just keep
getting the tired old line of "Don't rock the Boat it'll just make
things worse", how could it be worse, we can't shoot? What
happens in 12 months when Plod says "Why haven't these
Rifles been shot in the past year?"?
J.
--
Being a charity doesn't get you out of paying range fees I'm
afraid. The NRA thinks some of the calculations are screwy and
has written to the MoD about it, but basically if the MoD can come
up with a sensible calculation you have to pay what they think it
costs. I have a seperate view on "full cost recovery" which I
will take up with the NRA if I'm elected to council<G>.
On the second point this might be a local requirement, our club
shoots on ranges which are on military bases so there are always
MoD staff knocking around so it's not an issue.
Steve.
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