I understand that earlier last season a LAL member or members, living within the Parish, had commented that the Towy was somehow their river and, therefore, their interests and requests should take precedence over ‘Guest’ members, which they deemed to be ‘Outsiders’. This is total nonsense and a ridiculous notion and I found the deluded remarks unhelpful, inappropriate, misguided and offensive. Guest members pay twice the fees of Local members and suspect fish far less. The small minority of moaning Local members should recognise and appreciate that Guests have been subsidising their fishing for many years. If it weren’t for the predominant number of Guest members there wouldn't be a LAL Club.
With this in mind, I believe it’s time that LAL adopt similar membership criteria as other Towy angling clubs, which do not discriminate where their Members live. I am, therefore, proposing a different structure where anglers, fishing with a season permit on LAL water, ALL have the same distinction of being Members, with a suggested fee structure as follows:
Annual Season
Adults: £75 (Or previous total membership income divided by the number of members), plus initial joining fee of £30.
Seniors: £40 plus initial joining fee of £30
Ladies: £45 plus initial joining fee of £30
Juniors (under 16): £5.
Armed forces: Free
Registered disabled: Free
Note: For existing members no joining fee, but for future lapsed membership re-joining fee of £30.
Adult day ticket (24 hrs): £20
Junior day ticket (24hrs): £5
Adult weekly ticket: £70
Junior weekly ticket: £15
In addition catch returns to be submitted by 31st December (or some other agreed date) as specified in Club rules. LAL will assume that those members who do not submit a return by the due date do not wish to receive an invitation to renew membership or receive any further communication from the Club. Anglers with lapsed membership wishing to reapply will incur a £30 re-joining fee, in addition to the relevant annual fee. (Note: There is at least one Towy Club that charges double the normal annual fee, if applying after 1st April)
On a separate matter, I used the hut at Crewel on two occasions last season. Each time there were empty drinks cans and nylon and other rubbish left both inside and outside the hut by inconsiderate anglers. Surely it’s not too much to ask for anglers to take their own rubbish home.
Rodney Byles (Visitor Member)