MOD range access.

[Alpha1]

I belong to Lets say club A for the purpose of this exercise.
The Club has 20 members all certificate holders all are qualified RCO,s and they all hold a safe shooters card.

We book a MOD range once a month throughout the year. Each member has paid £200 subs earlier in the year that money has sat in the Bank. £4000.00.
(We actually have a lot more than that but let's use that figure for now.)
We normally book 6 lanes @ 37.00 a lane =£222
We normally pay if other Clubs are using the complex 4 hours Warden time @£28.00 an hour = £112.00. plus VAT.
So for us to book 6 lanes and have six-shooters in the morning and 6 shooters on an afternoon does not cost us any more than we are already paying.
With £4000 in the bank, we could book two ranges a month until the end of the year.
Just which regional gun Clubs are the NRA talking to where do they get their logic/costing from. I am sure my local clubs could work something out between us to make it work.

Anyway for now, we just wait it out I guess.

[dromia]

Steady on there Dave this Choudray chappie sent out a questionaire to most clubs so he must have intimate knowledge of the needs of the UK full-bore shooting community so he has no need to spend his precious time speaking to shooters across the piste especially when he has tame TR clubs he can visit to show how "national" and "in touch" he is.

[phaedra1106]

We were told that we could shoot on our local MOD ranges as long as we re-submitted our bids and included a Covid-19 specific risk assessment. We did this and arranged a rota system to ensure safe distancing about 3 weeks ago

These were accepted by Landmarc/MOD and we received bid confirmations.

Last Thursday (18th) we received several emails from Landmarc saying the bids had been cancelled.

It appears the MOD have changed their minds from allowing 6 people on a range to nobody is allowed.

The reason given is,

"The bid at Reference A for the period 29 Jul 2020 to 29 Jul 2020 on OTTERBURN TRAINING AREA has been Rejected for the following reason:

1. Facility closure – safety - Covid 19"

[Blackstuff]

6 per RANGE is ridiculous when you could comply with the guidance and go to a park the same size as an MOD range and be there with literally hundreds of other people.

Thankfully the 2m distance rule is being relaxed tomorrow (supposedly) so things might start to get a little more sensible.

[phaedra1106]

I did ask if we could book Pirmark or Ikea's car parks, apparently it's safe to have about 200 people there!.

Got another email from Landmarc this morning,

"Good news
I’ve just spoken to the guys at Otterburn and they are going to let you add bids from 20th July if Boris lifts the ban today.
Each club will only be able to add 2 new bids to the system.
Keep your fingers crossed!!!"

I've asked which "ban" they're talking about, I assume it's the 6 person limit but that certainly hasn't happened today.

[nigelc]

I must be having a “thick day” because for the life of me I cannot understand the reasoning for the decision reported in the NRA post below. My understanding is that six people from a club can book/share a lane at Bisley, but the MOD appear to be saying that only six people can book/share one of their ranges. Same "social distancing" rules, and both open areas, so why the difference?

“NRA Affiliated Club Access to MoD Ranges during Covid-19 Restrictions
The NRA has been working closely with the Safety and Assurance Team responsible for the MoD UK Training Estate to explore the feasibility of allowing access to outdoor MoD ranges.
The current Government guidance on the phased return to outdoor sporting activities permits gatherings of up to 6 people with 2m social distancing. The NRA, working with regional clubs and the MoD has developed a Policy and Risk Assessment to ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines on outdoor ranges. However restricting the MoD range booking to not more than 6 people on the MoD range makes it impractical to operate an outdoor MoD range. Furthermore we think it unlikely that a booking for 6 members will be financially viable for a regional Club.
This means that for the moment at least, Clubs are unable to use MoD ranges in the UK. We have agreed to keep this under continuous review particularly if the guidelines change in July, as expected.” (Facebook 19/06/20)

[Blackstuff]

Considering the lack of logic from the whole thing, especially the latest 'rules' is no wonder big organisations are scratching their heads.

I mean since the change I can go to a pub on my own, sit indoors only 1m away from the rest a pub full of people (who I don't know and have no say in how they behave), but I can't go to the park with more than 5 friends

[Christel]

Yeah, I was confused as well however just had a letter detailing the guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable.

6th of July I can go out with strict social distancing in place...outdoors - 6 people.

1st of August - pretty much same thing.

The essence of the letter is basically as long as there is a virus out there take extreme care. Face mask, wash your hands, distance.

Despite all the various rules in place I think the same applies to the whole population, take care with distancing in place.
Oh and face coverings on public transport.

[mag41uk]

Yeah, I was confused as well however just had a letter detailing the guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable.

6th of July I can go out with strict social distancing in place...outdoors - 6 people.

1st of August - pretty much same thing.

The essence of the letter is basically as long as there is a virus out there take extreme care. Face mask, wash your hands, distance.

Despite all the various rules in place I think the same applies to the whole population, take care with distancing in place.
Oh and face coverings on public transport.

This^^^. As was said yesterday the virus hasn't suddenly vanished. And as was also said there is a finite amount of time before we are financially stuffed as a country. (my interpretation of what was said!). As for what is open or not on the face of it does seem a little odd. I would imagine there are particular reasons behind certain businesses not opening. For me I will carry on as I have the past 3 months. I will assume the virus is hanging on a thread waiting for me to gently brush against it. I will continue to socially distance and keep out of house travel to a minimum. Shooting club has a good system in place and is actually the best venue I have been to for implementing distancing. Go shooting and buy food on way back.

[shugie]

Yeah, I was confused as well however just had a letter detailing the guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable.

6th of July I can go out with strict social distancing in place...outdoors - 6 people.

1st of August - pretty much same thing.

The essence of the letter is basically as long as there is a virus out there take extreme care. Face mask, wash your hands, distance.

Despite all the various rules in place I think the same applies to the whole population, take care with distancing in place.
Oh and face coverings on public transport.

This^^^. As was said yesterday the virus hasn't suddenly vanished. And as was also said there is a finite amount of time before we are financially stuffed as a country. (my interpretation of what was said!). As for what is open or not on the face of it does seem a little odd. I would imagine there are particular reasons behind certain businesses not opening. For me I will carry on as I have the past 3 months. I will assume the virus is hanging on a thread waiting for me to gently brush against it. I will continue to socially distance and keep out of house travel to a minimum. Shooting club has a good system in place and is actually the best venue I have been to for implementing distancing. Go shooting and buy food on way back.

There are a lot less virus laden folk about, and it seems not to survive as long in hot conditions, so the risk is probably lower, but not low enough for me to want to spend much time amongst the great unwashed when I can work from home. Definitely no intention of venturing onto public transport.