Southern Counties SG, What's happening?

[** Pending Removal **]

WezC, 

 I can see that your enthusiasm is running away just a little bit, but keep up the good work.

Nicola, 

 I can see that your enthusiasm has run away completely.

Who can remember when Southern Counties was a God forsaken fogbound hovel hidden behind a greasy spoon transport cafe?

Who can remember when Hodnet was run from a Caravan?

Who can remember when Doveridge was a portakabin no bigger than the steel container that sits by the barbecue area?

Who can remember when Fauxdegla was a windswept hovel called Llanndegla?

I can remember because I shot at them (bar Fauxdeg).....and you left out the disco at SC....!

I do not have enthusiasm anymore Pete...it has been drained or beaten out of me.

My comments on here are only facts and I am trying to keep the info as simple as possible....

And of course....no politics because shooters are not interested in politics.....they just want to shoot....

Now where is my map......2 hours to that one.......1.5 hours to that one......oh no ...it has now gone.......ok 3 hours to that one.........need I go on.....

 

[RobertBeard]

One of my businesses collects parcels of land Robert....and if you can get land at £6K that can get a clubhouse or shooting range on it........contact me immediately....!

......just saying.

I thought that was a ballpark figure for agricultural land but appreciate small parcels probably attract a premium.

 

[Hawkeye]

Safe shot fall out distance is 300 yds in the direction of firing , which for skeet is East , North and West. Include sporting , double the area. Which is where I got the 90 acres from

 

[ips]

I remember degla but not the others.

 

[Hotshot100]

So let's say I had the land already (thanks to a good friend).

6 traps for skeet = £3600

20 traps for sporting = £12000

5 traps for compak = £3000

5 traps for DTL = £3000

I Shed for compak = £1000

i mega shed for snacks = £5000

Just cost in the groundwork for paths and stands = £10000

That's only £37600.00

I have got tons left for everything else (ie: Council back handers)  :hi:

Note: The council thing is just a joke, I fully understand that all councilors are as straight as a die and the salt of the earth.

Wez.

What about skeet houses, acoustic releases for the DTL layouts (without them you won't be able to hold registered shoots) and all of the other umpteen bita and pieces that crop up.

The best thing that the CPSA could do is to match whatever the power company are offering in rent and take it over themselves. Not only would this save a brilliant facility for their members but would also raise their image whilst proving their dedication to our sports future.

Maybe they could even look at selling shares in the ground to raise money although it should be more or less self financing if run properly.

Does any one know how many turbines they have been given permission to erect? I believe that the current going rate paid to the landowner is ITRO £8k per annum.

 

[RobertBeard]

Safe shot fall out distance is 300 yds in the direction of firing , which for skeet is East , North and West. Include sporting , double the area. Which is where I got the 90 acres from

Well 90 acres is a considerable parcel of land!  And its going to have to be remote from other habitation to avoid the noise complaints!

Does 300 yards include when a strong wind is blowing in the direction of shooting as the shot will carry farther?

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Haha.....does anybody on here actually know what we are about to lose....?? And how we will 'NEVER' be able to replace it....

And how help should have been given to save it.....

And that it is toooooo late now bar the crying....!

Unless a miracle intervenes .....!

Signing off now....got to get up and go to Spanish (and before some one starts...I have already done 3 hours work) :smile:

 

[Hotshot100]

Haha.....does anybody on here actually know what we are about to lose....?? And how we will 'NEVER' be able to replace it....

And how help should have been given to save it.....

And that it is toooooo late now bar the crying....!

Unless a miracle intervenes .....!

Signing off now....got to get up and go to Spanish (and before some one starts...I have already done 3 hours work) :smile:

How right you are Nicola. Southern Counties will never be replaced as no one in their right mind would invest that sort of money in to a venture that will probably never show a return.

As someone recently said to me 'every shooting ground in the country is for sale to the right buyer' but do you see many changing hands Nooooo!! see plenty closing down though.

Enjoy Spain, and why should any one kick off? Your times your own and it's up to you what you do with it. Know what you mean though!!

 

[RobertBeard]

Haha.....does anybody on here actually know what we are about to lose....?? And how we will 'NEVER' be able to replace it....

And how help should have been given to save it.....

And that it is toooooo late now bar the crying....!

Unless a miracle intervenes .....!

Signing off now....got to get up and go to Spanish (and before some one starts...I have already done 3 hours work) :smile:

They say "Use it or lose it!" so that seems to be what is about to happen.

My only concern is that solar panel electricity production might be paying its way at the moment due to the high Government feed in tariffs but what is there to say that this might not be cut at some time in the future?

We also have to remember that he has an unhappy neighbour to pacify and no doubt this change to solar panels will achieve that as well.

What about the other facilities there like the hotel, gun shop, campsite, go-carts etc?

Terrible shame for shooting but that's what entrepreneurs have to do - move to where they can get the best return for their money.

I can only imagine that its not paying its way at present.

 

[Les53]

Does anyone actually KNOW what is REALLY going to happen? Is it all just speculation? I shall e mail our county (Dorset) OT skipper this morning to see if he knows and will post anything that I find out.

 

[Salopian]

Hotshot wrote the following,

" The best thing that the CPSA could do is to match whatever the power company are offering in rent and take it over themselves. Not only would this save a brilliant facility for their members but would also raise their image whilst proving their dedication to our sports future.

Maybe they could even look at selling shares in the ground to raise money although it should be more or less self financing if run properly.

Does any one know how many turbines they have been given permission to erect? I believe that the current going rate paid to the landowner is ITRO £8k per annum."

You have got to be joking the CPSA are too busy with their heads up Sport UK or British Shooting or some one else's rear end to have forward thinking .

When HQ was at Burgess Hill, Doveridge came up for sale at a very good price and I suggested buying it for the CPSA and turning it into a shooting academy. My idea was poo pooed, so we moved into rented premises at Corby for a few years and wasted money on rent, if you ever went there you will know what I mean. Then fortunately we were offered our current premises at a good price, but considering it is at a National Shooting complex you would never know would you?

 No,we seem to attract new members, new sponsors and new money to waste on legal disputes, I.T. and  jaunts all over the World for a few chosen ones, who do not seem to be of any benefit to the membership at all . 

 

[Hotshot100]

Hotshot wrote the following,

" The best thing that the CPSA could do is to match whatever the power company are offering in rent and take it over themselves. Not only would this save a brilliant facility for their members but would also raise their image whilst proving their dedication to our sports future.

Maybe they could even look at selling shares in the ground to raise money although it should be more or less self financing if run properly.

Does any one know how many turbines they have been given permission to erect? I believe that the current going rate paid to the landowner is ITRO £8k per annum."

You have got to be joking the CPSA are too busy with their heads up Sport UK or British Shooting or some one else's rear end to have forward thinking .

When HQ was at Burgess Hill, Doveridge came up for sale at a very good price and I suggested buying it for the CPSA and turning it into a shooting academy. My idea was poo pooed, so we moved into rented premises at Corby for a few years and wasted money on rent, if you ever went there you will know what I mean. Then fortunately we were offered our current premises at a good price, but considering it is at a National Shooting complex you would never know would you?

 No,we seem to attract new members, new sponsors and new money to waste on legal disputes, I.T. and  jaunts all over the World for a few chosen ones, who do not seem to be of any benefit to the membership at all . 

I did write it very much tongue in cheek Peter, but wouldn't it be great if it did happen. You are of course spot on about the CPSA managements priorities, well some of them any way. I know of at least three members locally that will not be renewing because of the American debacle ,what a joke, embarrassing or what?

 

[Les53]

I did write it very much tongue in cheek Peter, but wouldn't it be great if it did happen. You are of course spot on about the CPSA managements priorities, well some of them any way. I know of at least three members locally that will not be renewing because of the American debacle ,what a joke, embarrassing or what?

Roger, I just hope that SC does not close down, it is one of this countries best grounds. As a shooter in the West Country, it would be devastating for me and many others, there is no other OT ground in the area, I would need to travel up to Cheddar I reckon, that's at least a good hour and a half or maybe two hours from me I guess, then there is the cost of actually getting there. As for the CPSA management, well I have my opinions on that just we all do, but it's the regional CPSA people and HQ staff that I feel sorry for, I think they often take stick that should not be aimed at them in the first place. The CPSA has changed over the years, however I cannot honestly say that it has improved, but that is purely my own view, not to mention being a "can of worms" subject on the forum! :suicide:

 

[Hotshot100]

Roger, I just hope that SC does not close down, it is one of this countries best grounds. As a shooter in the West Country, it would be devastating for me and many others, there is no other OT ground in the area, I would need to travel up to Cheddar I reckon, that's at least a good hour and a half or maybe two hours from me I guess, then there is the cost of actually getting there. As for the CPSA management, well I have my opinions on that just we all do, but it's the regional CPSA people and HQ staff that I feel sorry for, I think they often take stick that should not be aimed at them in the first place. The CPSA has changed over the years, however I cannot honestly say that it has improved, but that is purely my own view, not to mention being a "can of worms" subject on the forum! :suicide:

I also hope that it doesn't close Les. It's the first place that I make for, time allowing,. when we visit friends in Sherborne. I have the same problem with distance to the nearest OT ground and this is what stops me from shooting it more regularly. I have A1 (86 miles), Nuthampstead (102 miles) or Bisley (95 miles) and all round the dreaded M25. It becomes a very expensive day out with £30 -£35 of fuel added to clays, cartridges and a bite to eat. Minimum cost would be £90 -£100.

The main thing is that we can't afford to keep losing grounds however big or small they are and to lose the biggest most prestigious one in the country would be a disaster not only for locals such as yourself but for the country as a whole.

 

[EdSolomons]

Im down there on Sunday Ill just ask. Sure they will be more than happy to divulge the inner workings of their business to someone they neither know nor care about..!

 

[joe kitson]

there were 6 hundred straight at the england international brian not five still carnt count  brian

 

[Les53]

Im down there on Sunday Ill just ask. Sure they will be more than happy to divulge the inner workings of their business to someone they neither know nor care about..!

 Ed, you would more than likely get away with it mate! :lol:

 

[Les53]

I also hope that it doesn't close Les. It's the first place that I make for, time allowing,. when we visit friends in Sherborne. I have the same problem with distance to the nearest OT ground and this is what stops me from shooting it more regularly. I have A1 (86 miles), Nuthampstead (102 miles) or Bisley (95 miles) and all round the dreaded M25. It becomes a very expensive day out with £30 -£35 of fuel added to clays, cartridges and a bite to eat. Minimum cost would be £90 -£100.

The main thing is that we can't afford to keep losing grounds however big or small they are and to lose the biggest most prestigious one in the country would be a disaster not only for locals such as yourself but for the country as a whole.

Roger, I would just have to wear the cost of getting to Cheddar I guess, or other than that I would have to take up DTL again, there is a DTL club in Axminster which is only about 20 mins drive from me, but they only shoot alternate Saturdays and I mostly like to shoot weekdays! It's not so bad down this way if you shoot sporting I suppose, in fact there is not even much in the way of skeet around there either!

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Roger, I just hope that SC does not close down, it is one of this countries best grounds. As a shooter in the West Country, it would be devastating for me and many others, there is no other OT ground in the area, I would need to travel up to Cheddar I reckon, that's at least a good hour and a half or maybe two hours from me I guess, then there is the cost of actually getting there. As for the CPSA management, well I have my opinions on that just we all do, but it's the regional CPSA people and HQ staff that I feel sorry for, I think they often take stick that should not be aimed at them in the first place. The CPSA has changed over the years, however I cannot honestly say that it has improved, but that is purely my own view, not to mention being a "can of worms" subject on the forum! :suicide:

Hour and a quarter is the minimum i have to travel to any competition venue in Trap. One and a half hours travel minimum to get to practise my own discipline and some times 2+ hours back because of the M25 traffice at the return time.. Which is why i use OT at Owls for close range pulling the trigger. To get to the cut off shoots for my discipline (because they are all in Kent) is 2 hours there and anything from 2 to 4 hours back (depending on the M25). This unfortunately is the real world now sadly.

 

[Les53]

Hour and a quarter is the minimum i have to travel to any competition venue in Trap. One and a half hours travel minimum to get to practise my own discipline and some times 2+ hours back because of the M25 traffice at the return time.. Which is why i use OT at Owls for close range pulling the trigger. To get to the cut off shoots for my discipline (because they are all in Kent) is 2 hours there and anything from 2 to 4 hours back (depending on the M25). This unfortunately is the real world now sadly.

 Nic, for me it's like a trip back in time, in my early trap shooting days my nearest OT ground was Garlands!  I guess it was about 2.5 to 3 hrs away from where I was!  But petrol was cheaper in those days and I didn't mind driving so much back then.