Should I or shouldn't I ?

[S-Kippy]

Renew my club memberships for 20/21 given the lockdown?

On the one hand I feel I should support the clubs as they will ( at some point) see their revenues fall BUT on the other hand why should I pay a full years fee when I wont get a full years fishing ?

I am fortunate in that ( being retired) I still have an income and therefore a choice. Mrs S is NHS and still working so our incomes are unnaffected. Many people aren't so fortunate and may well simply not be able to afford to renew their club books.

Tricky one.

 

[103841]

You may have answered your own question Skip. I paid up for another full year just before lockdown but I shall consider my fee better off with the club than back in my pocket, as you say club revenues will be hit hard with many less fortunate members unable to afford renewals.

 

[sam vimes]

Two of the three clubs I join roll over at new year, so they were already paid for. My syndicate was paid for at the beginning of March, though not strictly due until the end of March. My usual club, the one I'm a committee member of, was due at the end of March. Largely due to work and the closed season, I'm often not bang on time renewing that one, but I have done it in good time this year. I don't begrudge any of them the cash. They'll all need it to pay rents and will probably have reduced income. I've also just renewed my rod licence. However, partly in hope and partly to suit me going forward, I've renewed that to start on the 1st of May.

With regards to the EA licence, something that Rob Hughes said struck a chord with me. He intimated that the Angling Trust might have a better case when lobbying for the early return to angling if licence sales were strong. Falling sales figures might suggest that few are really bothered.

People should do as they like and, in the case of those enduring genuine financial hardship, whatever is necessary, but I felt it necessary to do what I could to ensure the future of the four organizations I'm part of. Unlike some I've seen on Facebook and forums, I won't be asking for extensions or refunds either.

 

[Philip]

Maybe call them and ask if they have considered lowering the fees for the year to take the reduced fishing time into account ? ...I would hope some clubs would consider this course of action.

That strikes me as being a resonable compromise for everyone. The anglers get their fishing the clubs get some money rather than risk no one renewing at all.

 

[sam vimes]

Maybe call them and ask if they have considered lowering the fees for the year to take the reduced fishing time into account ? ...I would hope some clubs would consider this course of action.

I believe that some already have. However, many smaller clubs tend to jog along aiming for enough income to cover annual expenditure. Unless annual rents are reduced accordingly (unlikely in many cases) many clubs won't be in the position to offer lower fees, extensions or refunds.

 

[nottskev]

I've paid for my most expensive club in January. Another one will be due in October. The others I'll renew as usual. I want them to be still there and the waters they run still available to me. Compared to many expenses in life - including the cost of tackle which is useless without access to waters and fish - the cost of subscriptions is low, and I don't feel inclined to split hairs over whether I get 12 or 9 months fishing from them. If I looked at everything that way, I'd end up being sorry I hadn't had an accident to get value from my car insurance. The lockdown is saving me money in other ways, as I can't go out to spend any. That's my view, but if someone is finding it a stretch to pay for their tickets, I wouldn't think what they decide to do is my business.

 

[seth49]

Paid both my club subscriptions in January,I don’t mind as they will have to pay rents etc.

They’ve also having to watch the waters to stop poaching, as people have been setting night lines and try to net the carp as well. Plus idiots thinking they can fish when no one else is there because of lockdown.

 

[rich66]

I save my fishing club money throughout the year, so it’s ready for renewal which is May, I’ll be buying my ticket as usual open or not. my club also has a £10 first year joining fee so if you’ve not paid by mid June you’re paying an extra tenner. With no reduction for part year it’s pointless not too. But the amount of fun and enjoyment I’ve had out of it this year is well worth paying whether I can fish for 12months or 9. Just have to go more often when we can to catch up !

 

[108831]

I understand the thoughts going around Skips mind,especially as some clubs in his area arent cheap compared to others elswhere,but I look at it another way,if you were ill(and I know you were)would you join the club in readiness of recovery,I would,one of the clubs i'm in at present has a forty quid joining fee,the other one I would be unlikely to get back into,its a no brainer to me,clubs will have reduced membership numbers,but it is whether you are prepared to lose waters you love or not....it could be the make or break of many things this virus,including fishing...

 

[Mark Wintle]

I have 5 club memeberships, two were renewed in Feb and March, one I did last week ready for June and two are imminent. Three have offered extra time as a result of the shutdown but I'd prefer to leave it as it is. Rents won't be reduced, many landlords have been hit on their income as well from farming or tourism, and it's likely some members won't be able to afford to renew. I forsee a very hard time for some clubs; at least two of the five lost money last year and I can see some waters having to be dropped.

Three years ago when I had a heart attack that meant no driving/fishing for a month, and no gym for 3 months (I could take my wife to the gym after 4 weeks but sat it out). I just left things as they were and picked up when I was able again.

 

[mikench]

I read that 90% of gym members don't even know their gym is closed.

I agree with Kev that the worst possible scenario for me would be for the lockdown for fishing to be lifted and finding that either my clubs had ceased to exist or the number of waters they controlled had been drastically reduced.

They all need funds with an ageing and retired membership whose income will be largely unaffected this year. I renewed all mine in December for 2020 and don't regret it.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Personally I would pay my annual subs as the clubs and sundicses will need ther normal income streams in order not to lose valuable venues.

At the beginning of this year, before all this started, I had decided to leave my club and the syndicate as my intention was to spend much more time in France than here.

However, at the end of Q1 and with all sorts of restrictions in place, I took the decision to pay both as my plans have been forcibly changed somewhat.

 

[S-Kippy]

It seems the consensus view is to renew.....which is what I felt was the morally right thing to do. That said....I would hope to see some sort of concession from the clubs like eg extending membership by 3 months or so. I could see 1 of my clus doing this but not the others.

The biggest nuisance is that they all fall due at different times....one is due pretty soon, two in June and one in July. Still,getting thm all ready for posting will take an hour or two...not like I haven't got the time either !

 

[Mark Wintle]

The problem with extending membership is that the annual income falls significantly - ie a 3 month extension means a normal year when £10,000 was received only then gets £7,500 and unless the landlords reduce accordingly (unlikely) there is a shortfall that is never recovered and the result is loss of waters.

 

[spenbeck]

I would like to see the Land Owners who the rent/lease is paid to give 3 to 6 months of it free this year.

If they can't do that, then sod them! Let them loose it all.

 

[ian g]

I would like to see the Land Owners who the rent/lease is paid to give 3 to 6 months of it free this year.

If they can't do that, then sod them! Let them loose it all.

I agree with your sentiment but I suspect that supply & demand rules would let them get in another club . It would be nice to see a bit of give and take at these times.

 

[103841]

Some of those land owners will be farmers who are having a tough enough time as it is.

 

[108831]

They are more likely to raise rents,to give some extra income,most would normally do that,some are far more angling friendly and would leave rents as were,as for clubs giving members three months extension,after all,they are not money making businesses,their main aim is to run without going into the red and supplying fishing for themselves and members,im quite surprised anyone has this weird and wonderful idea...

 

[Roger Johnson 2]

In the modern age, I find hard to understand why clubs don’t have an annual renewal based on the the date of joining, as the rod licence has now changed to. Easy to manage with computer systems (says the technonumpty!).
If it were the case I would be more likely to join more clubs by staggering the renewals and more likely to join a club when visiting different parts of the UK based on the possibility that I may return within the year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mikench]

It sounds churlish but the PAAS membership runs from the start of the calendar year to the end. When invited to join, I attended the inaugural meeting held in mid February so I lost 6 weeks fishing from the off. I suspect clubs struggle for funds which is why I renewed ahead of time. I don't begrudge my clubs the lost time as it's not of their making. I have similar views on the EA licence.

We will all be in cold turkey by the time we can go fishing and we need venues.