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)
Great effort Rod but don't hold your breath!
ReplyDeleteHi andrew
ReplyDeleteI think rodney,s suggestions sounds ok for guest members it would be nice to be considered equal
Tight lines
NICK
Yes Nick I agree but it is in my view unrealistic. Please let me know about what is discussed at the AGM if you would? I have asked Eifion for permission to install a ladder above Crewel so I will be interested to see if it gets approval!
ReplyDeleteA quick AGM update! Due to the recent poor weather, not a great turnout with only 3 guest and a dozen locals attending. Rod's letter was indeed read out and much debated. A show of hands indicated little or no support. Sandy thought that the guest fee was very reasonable, it was unanimously decided to keep the fees as they were, except to raise the local fee to £60. Andrew's fine suggestion for a ladder was approved by all!
ReplyDeleteIt was agreed that Crewil would be open to all methods (to be reviewed next year),with fly fishing only on the bottom stretch. The general apathy from local members was discussed (particularly when working parties were needed). Liam has been tasked with opening up a club Twitter account. Finally, as it is the clubs 50th anniversary, it was decided to have a celebratory dinner at the Goose on Saturday 12th October. Details to follow. The meeting was then closed and we all retired for a great night and excellent buffet at the Goose and Cuckoo.
Great news about the ladder and of course the dinner in October I think! I will look forward to that - hopefully the weather will be a lot kinder for us as we have travel some distance. I wish Liam well with the Twitter account and I hope he has more support and interaction with it than I got with the LAL blog though! I will also look forward to helping with the work party weekend in March!
ReplyDeleteWell no surprises my proposal was rejected and didn’t expect anything else, especially with 80% of the local members present. Still it was good the locals agreed to make a small additional contribution to annual fees and can now fish the entire season for about 32p/day compared to 26p/day last year. This has got to be the cheapest game fishing in the UK!
ReplyDeleteThe £750 in fees contributed by 15 local members last season, compared to £6,570 from 54 guests and 13 seniors, clearly demonstrates local members’ fishing has been subsidised, and for many years, and I do hope they appreciate that.
Pleased the installation of a ladder above Crewil has been agreed, as this will help those of advancing years from having to negotiate heart attack hill, water level permitting.
I wish Liam the best of luck with his Twitter thing, but if the general apathy of members to the now defunct LAL blog is anything to go by, he’ll have an uphill struggle. Incidentally is anyone updating the LAL website as I notice some information is obsolete.
It would also be interesting to know what other issues were discussed and agreed at the AGM. Perhaps there might be a full report or minutes posted on the LAL website in due course.
I have pencilled in the 50th anniversary bash and looking forward to that.
Rod