Centenary Plans ... 1972

G. Maiden 23 May 1972

The attached report was presented to a Committee meeting on Monday, 23rd May 1972 by G. Maiden and it is circulated to all members at the unanimous wish of the Committee present at that meeting.

Stourport Boat Club
1876 - 1972
1972 - 1976

1976 is the centenary year of the Boat Club and we must now consider how best we can commemorate this great milestone in the history of a Club which; whilst by no means is the oldest in the country, is one which is probably original in that for the whole of its 96 years, including two world wars has never ceased to exist as a Rowing Club.

We would obviously like to build a new Club "a la Hereford or Monmouth" - cosy £100,000 or probably more and most certainly a beautiful but impractical pipe dream. We could even buy a new eight or even a set of new boats - maximum life 15-20 years and thus not a permanent reminder of the efforts of thousands of members rowing and otherwise who, over the past 9 1/2 decades, have by rowing expertise, by physical effort or business acumen and on occasions by personal monetary sacrifice, built up the Club from a raft in the Engine Basin to its present position.

We are the owners of one of the finest rowing club sites in the country which is, in itself, at this time, worth probably in excess of £70,000. We own a boathouse which is in the main functional. It is old and in parts even decrepid. It does have a certain character which has twice been recognised by the Post Office to be of sufficient charm to be depicted in the Telephone Directory. Within it has an assembly room, at present tatty and in need of refurbishing, but which has a magnificent picture window overlooking the Severn and whose proportions are almost perfect. A lot of work has been done of recent years to make a comfortable club room/Bar. In addition we have another second class bar, fair boat and oar storage space, reasonable changing accomodation for both sexes and a gentlemen's toilet which is famous throughout the rowing world. The whole stands in some 1 1/2 acres of ground giving us ample carparking space and an excellent lawn area overlooking the river.
What then can in 4 years 2 1/2 months (till the date of the 1976 regatta) be done to commemorate our centenary?

Consider what else have we:-
Monetarily we are, we believe, solvent and we have under £1000 in a building fund. Our boat fleet, mainly due to the last and present captains' efforts is in very reasonable repair but new small boats are urgently needed. This however I consider is a domestic question which with good husbandry and the ever-present hope (albeit regularly false) of a grant may be successfully overcome.
We have in rowing and social members about 100 in total plus the associate members of our 200 Club and the Mercian Sailing Club. Our subscriptions income plus bar-profits, profits from lettings, moorings, rights of way etc. pay the rates, repairs, wages, taxes etc. - just about. Any extras we require such as new blades, mowers etc. have to come out of the regatta profits and monies made by our Social Committee and 200 Club.
There is absolutely no excess income in these circumstances to raise the £4000 to £5000 which I consider a minimum to provide anything suitable to commemorate a centenary.

Can we then as a mere beginning do anything to transfer this balance, this day to day existence to an increasing profit as a foundation on which we may build. This I consider to be a base essential before we seek by sponsorship, by gift or by loan to raise real money! My own ideas on this are that we can and should become viable on these lines and it is our own fault (I consider myself as a committee member as guilty as anyone else) that over the past few years we have not done so. The SBC lads are a friendly lot, we are liked and respected in the rowing world but as a committee we really are an easy touch. We must become efficient and businesslike.
We offer rowing and social facilities at one of the most reasonable subscriptions in the country. What is the subscription position? How many people are using boats and club equipment where subscriptions are not paid?

Our boats and blades have been for years carried about the country virtually free either by members on their cars or at the expense of one of our respected life members. We greatly appreciate this but it can only be deplored that some of the oarsmen for whom this is being done have not paid their regatta entries for two years ago and are still being allowed to use Club property.

We have a visitors rule. Is this ever enforced? I believe that regularly using our bar men and women who are not and have never been Club members.
These are matters which must be rationalised before we start talking of raising thousands.

We have a bar and a licence which my legal friends tell me by application to the magistrates could be given a magistrates licence ensuring its opening virtually whenever we wanted it. At present it is only really used two hours Fidays, two hours Saturdays (Folk Club) and two hours Sundays.
The bar is a constant source of potential income and should be open as often and as long as possible but this is not viable if it is not used. Why do not Club members use it fully - how often do you and/or your wife etc. go out for the odd drink and never think of coming to the Club? Is it not comfortable enough? Does it not have the commodities you require? Is the beer better at the Trow, the Swan or the White Hart? Certainly we need the profit far more than the Breweries and if we are failing in service let us put it right - now! Could we not obtain the odd wine, beer and spirits etc. you buy for home and sell that at least if not below the price of your usual supplier?

This then is what we have with its credits and debits. What we do not have is a set of millionaires. We have no John Player or Rolls Royce to sponsor us. In plain language, all we get we have to earn and once we have shown that we are prepared to do this, then, and only then can we expect modest gifts and sponsorship towards any major project!

I believe that a modest and reasonable project to commemorate the centenary would be in three parts:-
1.To replace the present inefficient sliding doors on the front of the Club with a set of up and over roller doors.
2.To continue the present outside Boat Shed to the present limit of the 8 shed with the necessary resiting of the gents toilet.
These I consider to be essential for boat storage and racking.
3.The major suggestion is that the present bar and lounge should be built up to the level of the assembly room with the picture windows all round. A new bar could then be built immediately over the present lounge bar. The present lounge could remain as it is and become a committee room with bar servery. I am assured by the brewery rep. that beer could still be kept downstairs and that pumps would be efficient on the higher level. The second bar downstairs could be retained for regatta use but at other times could be racked for blade storage. I believe this scheme would give the Club a larger lounge with a pleasant outlook - it may well be feasible if sufficient money is available to extend this some 3-6 feet over the lawn in peirs, thus giving much required shelter space. In addition we would have a real committee room and more space for re-racking in the Boathouse.

As a fire precaution it would most probably be necessary to put an outside staircase to the new lounge.

There must be many other ideas available but I consider this one to be useful, practical and possible given goodwill, co-operation and assistance from all members. The good offices of our Brewery may well be available in bar fitting.