What is a fair price....

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EC

Guest
I am in 3 clubs. All I believe are very well run and offer excellent value for money, all 3 in total cost me about ?150 a year, or ?3 a week. For that I get access to hundreds of miles of river and canal and tens of stillwaters.

Should I, as a working senior member be paying more? Judging on what I actually get for my money from these clubs, I would say definitely yes!

For my clubs I would happily pay double, possibly more in each case, personal finances allowing. But we still need to attract youngsters, and I believe we cannot start to 'sting' OAPs!

Were my clubs to amalgamate and form a 'super federation' with 2 other local clubs, I would again happily pay more again to have all those extra options, if it were available.

What would you be prepared to pay as a senior, OAP or junior?
 
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Wolfman Woody

Guest
Tricky one that you can't put a definite price on. A club that has 10 waters, all rubbish, cannot charge as much as a club that has 5 waters that it has built up and stocked and offer superb fishing.

Some clubs don't charge much, ?50-60 say, and have to do so because they hang on to waters that hardly any of their members fish. The reason for this might well be because old Fred, the club's president, likes that water, it's near his house and he knows the owner. Bad mix!

Good or bad, never get rid of waters completely. Form an association with other clubs, share the cost and try to build them back up. Associations are one way forward and ensure that none of those other clubs will outbid you come the renewal.
 
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Wolfman Woody

Guest
This suggests how to collect data on the value of your waters. How often they're fished.


And this tells you how to analyse that data and what the 'real' cost is per angler visit.

This is the only way to put a value on your waters.

The this explains how to work out a budget that will give you a cost per member per season and how to ensure that there is always something left over for restocking and maintenance work.

Bear in mind that if you give juniors and OAPs a bigger concession it will increase the cost for normal senior members.

And I bet that, STILL, many clubs do not do this. Amateurs!
 
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Ric Elwin

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It's been mentioned elsewhere Eddie, the age profile of anglers is getting older.

It might seem unfair but if oap's continue to get subsidised rates the result will be...no club, because hardly anyone is paying.

Actually, I'm pretty well against any broadbrush subsidy or allowance for any group of people. The reality is that many (not all I know!!) pensioners have far more disposable income than do those who work, and generally have mortgages to pay.

Why should a pensioner with several hundred thousand k of capital pay less than someone who is working all hours available just to service his debts???

I don't know the answer because clubs can't conduct means tests for all it's members.

All I know is that recently we have had a succession of claims for certain groups to get more help. The latest one, a quite outrageous one, is that everybody should contribute towards the welfare of middle class families, both parents working, by contributing towards their childcare costs.

If you want to have kids have them, if you want to work work, but please don't expect me to pay for your lifestyle when you can easily pay for it yourself.
 
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Chairman BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
Very well put Ric.
I think the only way is for clubs to fully realise their own finances, incomeings and out goings and charge accordingly. Just like any business really.
 
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EC

Guest
Good points Ric, I suppose concessions for OAPs have almost become an accepted factor within society, and if the source of the money isnt there to offer them concessions then we are stuck.

I am not so sure about kids however, make costs too high for them to access the sport, and we have then lost the next group of 'full paying' senior members. A few pounds spent wisely now can and will partly ensure our costs are covered tomorrow.
 
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Terry D

Guest
We had a similar problem with most of our older anglers being the lads that built our club up and attended working parties over the years. But, just because they retired doesn't mean they had less 'dispoable income' nor does it mean they were willing to pay the full price of a ticket. It was just an accepted fact that you got the concession regardless.
Maybe a scheme could be introduced whereby your concession is on a sliding scale dependent on how long you have been a member of that club. e.g up to 2yrs - 10%, <5yrs - 25% and 10yrs+ - 50%. New members coming in from outside would just have to bear the cost, or only get concessions if in receipt of a means-tested benefit. It's only a suggestion, so what would our less well off members come up with?
 
Graham Whatmore

Graham Whatmore

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I am neutral on concessionary tickets for OAP's being one myself and accepting the reduced cost but knowing that I would pay the full price were I asked to, and often have to. The problem for clubs would be that if those that couldn't afford it, and yes I include most pensioners in this, the youngsters and the disabled, all decided it was something they couldn't afford then the chief loser is the clubs.

Lots of fathers only put their kids into clubs because they get a reduced ticket and a lot of pensioners only buy club cards for the same reason as do disabled anglers. Remember, a lot of pensioners are far more comfortable on commercial water with easy access than walking a river bank and from this angle they would consider the expense of a club card something they can well manage without.

Could the clubs manage without them? If you think so then why is it somehow undesirable to give them a concessionary card I would have thought that was extra money for them. For goodness sake, clubs are financially stretched to the limits as it is so why try and lose some of the members, as you undoubtedly would if you charged them full price, that doesn't make sense to me.

And before anybody criticises me personally I would have no problem in paying full price, but there again I can afford it.
 
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Chairman BAZ (Angel of the North)

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In my club, pensioners pay full price. There are a number of clubs who went down the road of giveing them concessionaries and now regret it.
But, I have to add that any pensioner who would struggle to pay his full licence depending on how long he has been in the club, is told to come and speak to us and something will be sorted out.
It can't be fairer than that.
Juniors obviously are sold cards at about half price.
 
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yoggy

Guest
I belong to 4 clubs,my local fenland club which controls miles upon miles of prime fenland drains,a bargain at 12quid a season,1 stillwater club which owns 5 gravel pits,another bargain at 20quid.A Northants Club which controls superb fishing on the Nene a steal at 14quid,and finally a club which controls stretches of the Great Ouse and Ivel another good deal at 35quid..total = ?81.00 for a seasons fishing.To me thats great value considering how much fishing i do and the pleasure i get.Fishing is still a cheap pastime.My ex nextdoor neighbour used to moan all the time about the local fenland clubs prices,but every saturday afternoon he`d go and watch P.boro Utd and down 5 or 6 pints and spend 50 quid!!!!!!!!!!!!.See what i mean!!
 
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Ric Elwin

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I agree that there should be reductions for kids. In fact I'd go further than the usual 50% discount, by given them a card for a nominal fee, say a fiver.

OK, it means that members paying the full price pay more in the short term. As these kids grown up though, a proportion will become full paying members. If the concessionary rate was too high in the first place they might never become members, or even be lost to fishing altogether.

Regarding pensioners, my club decided last year that anyone joining after a certain date would not qualify for a discount when they reach 65.
 
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Wolfman Woody

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"but every saturday afternoon he`d go and watch P.boro Utd" Well that really is a waste! :eek:) C'mon the Posh!


Juniors, why not charge them in-line with what they pay towards an EA licence? Ie: Under 12 - free (providing they are accompanied by an adult). 12-16 about 25% of the senior membership fee to encourage more into the sport.

OAP's, you can't give them a 50% reduction one year and cancel it completely the next. Reduce by say 10% per year and when they scream - stop there. You will soon find out when they vote with their feet.
 
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EC

Guest
You are one hard man Woody!

You know I call you Jethro?

Well when I see you post I imagine you to look like Woody from Toy Story!
 
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Chairman BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
When you lot start up in your own taxi business, I will be the first one standing outside your offices looking for a free ride.
 
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Chairman BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
What do you mean "meaning"?
And get that quizical look off your face.
 
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Wolfman Woody

Guest
I'm not being hard Eddie. Moi?

I think pensioners should pay a reasonable amount since they get as much if not more use out of the waters than do ordinary members, but take into account their meagre pension, which is all some have to live on. So give them something, but 50%?

Kids - I think that's encouraging enough. A 75% discount! FREE if they're under 12.
 
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