In Mid-December 2011, we received a letter from the owner of the training venue we have been using since we started Redgates in September 2001 saying that, as from 1st January 2012 the rent we would have to pay would be increasing by around 45% to 50%.
For obvious reasons there is no way the club can absorb these extra costs, and there is no way we can justify increasing the fees that we charge in order to cover this increased rent - especially in the current economic climate.
As a result of this and after careful consideration we have told the owner of the venue that we will be terminating the agreement between us and will not be using that venue in future, and that we will remove all our equipment and other belongings from his property by 31st December 2011.
The good news is that (thanks to club member Louise Oxford), we have found a very nice new venue, for which we will have, exclusive use. We have also negotiated a flat rate rent, so we will be paying per "month" rather than per "session". The amount we will be paying for the new venue will actually be less than we had been paying.
The address of the new venue is:
Lubberhedges Lane
Stebbing
Essex
CM6 3BT - this is the nearest available postcode!
Before we can use the new field for training we have to arrange for a hard standing to be created just inside the entrance gate for parking. Also we cannot keep our caravan at the new venue, and there are currently no stable / barn / storage facilities on site - so we will be bringing in some form of storage container that can be used as a store / office / kitchen etc. We hope to have everything in place for lessons to recommence as planned on Sunday 8th January - but there is the possibility that the necessary works may not be completed by then and we may have to delay the restarting of lessons slightly.
