Change to licencing laws

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billmacfarlane

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I read in the sports pages at the weekend that there's a change in the licencing laws this summer that will affect "sports" clubs. The article was specifically about golf clubs but it apparently affects all sports clubs and I guess sailing. The gist of it is that under the new licence it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone who's not a member of the club. Temporary membership is not an option as it will take 3 days to grant a temporary membership. Looks my pint at the ISC is in danger. Anyone know anything about this ?

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My Golf Club has just introduced a card system for members but visitors, who are classed as temporary members (£45 a round), can still buy at the bar albeit at a surcharge. Like many income raising systems this one must have been devised by Gordon Brown; we are told that the prices are 10% cheaper on the card but in practice prices have gone up 15% gross and we now get 10% of them! Similar in the sailing club as well.

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This has always been the case with registered clubs.

It is got around by "Associate Membership". Any member of a RYA affiliated club benefits from associate membership of all other RYA affiliated clubs. The same applies to Working Mens Clubs (affiliated to the CIU) and political party clubs (affiliated to the party they belong to).

Membership rights are restricted when visiting other clubs, but purchase of drink is permitted.

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Is this legislation for legislation's sake or is any useful purpose served by it?

At my golf club as long as you don't serve minors, anything goes. Even passing outsiders are welcome to use the club restaurant and bar (as long as they are discrete) because this means more revenue and less cost to the members.

http://www.vaucouleurs.fr/english/restaurant.htm

John

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Unless they have a full "on-licence" or are a "proprietory club" as opposed to the usual "registered club" then they are already breaking the existing laws and risk losing their licence.

The sitution regarding minors in registered clubs is interesting. Unless there is a club rule specifying an age to obtain alcohol at the bar, any full member above the age of 5 years old can get a drink (under 5's can only have drink on medical advice!). It is to do with the fact that no sale takes place, as all the property (including the drink) already belongs to the member as it has been purchased with club funds. They are just taking what is already theirs and providing funds for it's replacement.

Most of the laws relating to clubs date back to the 1960's and before.

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My sailing club has a similar system. The gist of this article ( Independent on Sunday) was that golf clubs will no longer be able to grant temporary membership to non members paying green fees, unless temporary membership is applied for, and that takes 3 days. It looks like sailing clubs, and my beer at the ISC are safe with the RYA affiliated membership but golf clubs, rugby clubs etc. could lose out.

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I think every club that I have belonged to has restricted reciprocal benefits to visiting yachtsmen, who are members of RYA affiliated clubs, and who arrive by boat, or to those participating in club open meetings. At inland clubs, this certainly duced the opportunities to benefit from reciprocal membership!

Is there anything in the RYA rules that requires clubs to offer reciprocal membership to members of RYA affiliated clubs?

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