From: "Jim FRANKLIN", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The same questions regarding civvies shooting on MoD ranges in absence of
miltary users has been raised in connection with Hythe and Lydd.
It has been put to us that MoD cannot justify the deployment of range
lookouts,
boat crews and radar operatives purely for civilian use, or, the civilian
clubs would have to bare the full cost of manning the range. Seems
reasonable.
Apparently, we pay for a range warden, targets and for each individual lane.
Naturally, we provide our own RCOs. It would seem right that the Army (using
the range at the same time), bare the full cost of recovery of the fixed
overheads, thus allowing civilian use to contribute to the direct costs
and/or the Treasury coffers.
There has been, of late, a marked improvement in communications vis a vis,
the club and range staff, who have adopted a very much more relaxed and
helpful attitude regarding booking procedures.
When the supplier of a service is in a monopoly position, it does no good to
antagonise him.
Jim Franklin
Orpington
KENT. UK
PGP key on request
--
But they're not in a monopoly position, there are private ranges and there
is Bisley as well.
The thought occurs that is there any possibility of buying some of these
ranges off the MoD? Or leasing them at any rate.
I know on the Isle of Man they haven't got any fullbore rifle ranges at all
because there is no military there and no-one can afford to build one.
Obviously it will cost a tonne of money but it's already costing a fortune
to use their ranges. If clubs can get their charity status back they can
at least avoid some of the taxes.
However it will cost the MoD a lot of money to close down ranges, so
perhaps a cheap lease can be negotiated on a range that is not being used.
BTW, the only personnel the MoD has to supply for range use is a range
warden unless there is some local reason why more personnel are needed.
Steve.
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