gr4techie

Why is it a private club in the first place?

Is it the only way you can feel special about yourself?

thing

Again I don't get the bitterness over this club. As in my last post, if you didn't go to my school you can't go to the OBD. I've never had any negative comments about that, isn't it just the same? If you weren't a commissioned officer then you can't go to that particular club. It's a club with it's own admission policy, the admission policy being you have to have been a commisioned officer. Seems perfectly straightforward to me.

Airborne Aircrew

Thing:

I don't think anyone is bitter about the club itself. I think some are bothered by the fact that they call it the RAF Club yet exclude the vast majority of the RAF. It might be more accurately named The RAF Officer's Club.

Some I believe are bothered that rather than expand their membership by expanding from within the RAF they choose to, seemingly, allow any old council house slapper who wants to get married access as long as they aren't marrying some impoverish OR. I'm sure many see that as a big fat slap in the face.

For my part it's a result of the previous thread where they came here to a public forum bemoaning their failing club and flagging membership and asked for ideas. When I proffered the idea of allowing other ranks the idea was rejected, (which is fair), but then I was vilified for making such a suggestion by the same people who really can't seem to organize a piss-up in their own "brewery".

By the way, can someone do me a favour and give old Tom a bit of a nudge, I'm afraid his record is stuck.

thing

I get your point over the name, but then I bet Spearmint Rhino doen't admit odd toed ungulates with fresh breath either.

If it's the name that's a problem then personally I think that's being a bit pedantic. I couldn't care less what they call it.

gr4techie

The name is a problem as it is cashing in on something it is not.

You still haven't answered my question "why does it need an admission policy"?

thing

I don't know if that's addressed to me but I thought the whole point of clubs were that they all have an admission policy. Otherwise aren't they just a bar? Would this thread have died on the first page if it was called the RAF Officers Club?

As to why they should discuss it here, why not? Should I feel umbrage if someone starts a thread about RAF Gan, somewhere I never went to nor am never going to? Isn't that being exclusive?

Broadsword***

I suspect hard economic realities told them they must do something to boost the income of the Club. All suggestions would be considered (including prostituting the Club's principles), provided under no circumstances did these include any proposal to extend membership to non-commissioned ranks. It is hard not to conclude rank snobbery will finally sink the Club.

goudie

From Wiki
When the club was founded 95 years ago there was probably no need to define it by name, as a club for officers only, because in those days it would have been a given, that only officers would have had need of such a club.
The RAF I was in had all sorts of demarcations between officers and o/r's,
from doors one could or could not enter, (HQ) to which toilets one could or could not use. Don't know if that applies today but that's the military for you.
It was ever thus!
As an aside, when I did the Vulcan course in '58, at Woodford, the factory had 5 classes of dining areas. We RAF types qualified for area 3, a room with cutlery and plastic flowers on the table! Posh or what?

TomJoad

Awh, you not getting any bites there AA- maybee yon fish you caught was the only one in the lake.

Here's the thing fella - don't think anyone on the previous thread, certainly not the OP, actually asked how to improve membership from what I recall. In fact the opposite, it was reported that membership was entirely healthy. What I do recall is a load of bitter souls making assumptions then jumping in with their own prejudices. Some of the bitter souls even tried to play the class warrior card, while some regaled us of tales of how they built their own home - bizzare! What I find amusing, is that some like you, profess violently to have no interest in the club but then insist upon sharing your opinion on it: At length you have opined that such a topic should not be discussed on a public forum. Keep it up AA, the TV has been pretty poor this weekend and my nearest lake is a few miles away

Airborne Aircrew

Wrong thread silly... Do a search in the Advanced search for "RAF Club"... You'll find the thread I am referring to. The recently deleted one is clearly not the one I'm referring to.

TomJoad

In the style of Armstrong and Miller "that is well bling that is innit"

NutLoose

So what did the rest get?

TomJoad

And that is what you took from that! Well done fella talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

goudie

Nutloose
As I recall the shop floor workers had scrubbed tables and benches, collect your cutlery with meal
next it was tables san flowers but had cutlery,
above us it was waiter service, water jug on table etc.
I think the food was pretty much the same...dire!

Mind you, that was very much the order of the day in British factories.

hanoijane

May I offer comment...? As a non-Brit...? And a non-RAF person...?

Two things. Firstly, the number of ad hominem attacks in this and the previous thread rather suggests some weren't taught how to argue a point. You know who you are. Yes, I'm aware of the irony implicit in this observation

Secondly, I was recently treated to lunch at this establishment by a chap who assured me it would be immense fun. It wasn't. Fun, that is. I thought the decor was awful. Why so many paintings?

I can see no point in feeling slighted if you're excluded from this club by virtue of your rank, or lack thereof. Unless you like paintings, in which case you should sulk mightily.

NutLoose

Yup that would about sum the food up brown and sludge.

Rigga

If the "RAF Forum", a privately-run website that is nothing to do with the RAF, is being pursued to change its name due to RAF Copyright claims - then shouldn't the "RAF Club", a Private Club that is nothing to do with the RAF, be pursued to change its name in the same way?

Could someone explain to me why it shouldn't? I believe both organisations had their names before the RAF claimed copyright.

A bit like Mrs Beckham trying to stop "The Posh" from using their name, I believe.

Pontius Navigator

And about 1976 it was till thus. We wangled a visit to see the new Mark 2 Nimrod. Apart from a masterly lack of activity, we dined in style with the same sort of setup as you described.

And did workers really object not having the same facilities as the bosses? If all were equal where is the incentive for improvement?

gr4techie

Rigga,

Because the club went out with intent to cash in on the name and pretend to be something it isn't. The club did not end up with the same name by mistake.

goudie

PN Quite true.
To quote from G&S's The Gondoliers, when everyone is somebody, then no-one's anybody".