RAF Club Thread: Not in Good Health
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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.
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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.
Again I don't get the bitterness over this 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.
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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.
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.
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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?
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?
Last edited by thing; 25th Aug 2013 at 14:08.
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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".
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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?
The Royal Air Force Club was founded in 1918 when the first Lord Cowdray donated funds to obtain a permanent building which would house the 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?
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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.
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.
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
Last edited by TomJoad; 25th Aug 2013 at 14:47. Reason: because AA is worth it!
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don't think anyone on the previous thread, certainly not the OP, actually asked how to improve membership from what I recall.
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In the style of Armstrong and Miller "that is well bling that is innit"
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3, a room with cutlery
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And that is what you took from that! Well done fella talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
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So what did the rest get?
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.
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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.
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.
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Yup that would about sum the food up brown and sludge.
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.
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.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
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.
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.
And did workers really object not having the same facilities as the bosses? If all were equal where is the incentive for improvement?