The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi, folks,

Below is the reply from Andrew Mercer to my letter on the changes on Short Siberia. It is absolutely clear that the NRA, probably before Mercer arrived, made a decision to give CNC Short Siberia for exclusive use during the week. Mercer now claims that that would be good for members and not a single member has ever been consulted and, as I already stated in my letter to Pizer, no one by the members know what members want. What next! Offer Stickledown to the local allotments association and we all get a free tomato!!!

I will reply to Mercer when I feel better - terrible cold coming - so this is just for your advance information.

Best Regards,

Alex

__________________________________________________


Alex

As is so often the case you have heard a creative version of the facts!

The Civil Nuclear Police (CNC) have been regular users of the ranges (Short Siberia, Butt Zero and Melville) for a number of years and are looking to increase their bookings this year.

This will reduce the availability on Short Siberia Tuesday to Friday only (we reserve weekends for members, clubs and competitions) so we are expanding 100/200 yard facilities on Butt 19 on Century. Works will include larger car parking, new paths and access roads and improved targetry and toilets.

This is in my view good news - new income is being used to improve facilities. If we are successful in delivering increased range utilisation in the future these opportunities (with their resulting problems) will yield further enhancements in facilities for members, clubs and commercial users alike.

Little commercial use of Bisley places a heavy financial burden on the shoulders of our members; and there is much to recommend developing shooting based business.

Members will judge whether the reduction of Tuesday to Friday access at Short Siberia is compensated by new facilities on Century and general improvements in husbandry on the site in general. We have already started work on the Short Siberia facilities - I hope you will notice the early improvements to the car park and access roads in particular.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further details

Regards

Andrew Mercer



________________________________

Fair and polite reply, whilst your members consultation concerns are probably true it is encouraging that investment in other facilities is being made and repairs done. Look for example at the Target Number Boards on Century, all erect and level for the first time in years.

If little improvements contine and maintenance gets done that's got to be a good thing. What may upset shooters is restrictions on the availability of ranges to do the things they used to do for years. Regular shooting at 100 and 200 yards on the RHS of Century, which has mostly been the prevail of CSR and High Power Shooters once a month, may curtail what happens elsewhere. What will be the impact on the 300m shooters on the LHS of Century?

What is need is open communication as soon as possible to let the regular users of Bisley know what is changing, why its changing and how it's going to effect them. For example many clubs book ranges months in advance, the HRA book targets for a whole year, if members are going to be bumped off or restricted in their use by priorities given to 'Commercial' users then this needs to be made clear early. Members use of Bisley is not just limited to weekends and it would be irksome for some to be told no you can't shoot because such and such Commercial user has priority or worse, that in order to secure use you have to book and pay for more than you need.

We are not mushrooms.

Thank you Iain and Karen for your input and information.

Alex

From the Email reply, it is clear they are not selling nor giving away the range - CNC are simply hiring it on a more frequent basis - surely this has to be seen as a good thing, as it is a source of income.

It is also a totally different "Story" to the one you initially posted.

Mike

Why not post this in the same thread you started???

I've met Andrew Mercer, and he seems on the face of it to be hard working, keen and competent. Time will of course tell whether my optimism is misplaced, but for the moment I see no need to be rude to the chap. Referring to people solely by their second name, without any title, seems to me to be at best uncouth, and at worst downright rude.

I take as I find and not to have repeated emails at least acknowledged, is also rude in my book.

shugie wrote: Referring to people solely by their second name, without any title, seems to me to be at best uncouth, and at worst downright rude.

Of course, it can be a means of acknowledging pre-eminence:

Ghandi
Churchill
Beethoven
Shakespeare
Einstein
Telford
Brunel

Is that list OK boss tongueout ?

Iain

IainWR wrote:

shugie wrote: Referring to people solely by their second name, without any title, seems to me to be at best uncouth, and at worst downright rude.

Of course, it can be a means of acknowledging pre-eminence:

Ghandi
Churchill
Beethoven
Shakespeare
Einstein
Telford
Brunel

Is that list OK boss tongueout ?

Iain

It can, but I don't think Mr Mercer has been in post long enough to be greeted with quite that level of acclaim.

I am struggling to see the problem here? yes the CNC gets priority during the week, but if the trade off is more funds to improve the general condition of the camp, then its a price worth paying! we as a club have to book Short Siberia on a Sunday morning for the whole year in order to be sure of a place, how often would that occur on a weekday? anything that the NRA can do to raise funds ,whilst minimising the impact on the membership has got to be applauded! if they go to far then raise Hell! but from what I can see they are trying to improve things.

PS I have also had a "near miss" whilst on Century at 300, so would prefer to not use Century for shorter ranges when its busy.

Alex,

You could have gleaned all this information and more from other sources.

Mister Mercer must sometimes despair and he has only been there five minutes.

There must be better ways to have fun?