Club Fees

MikeDunn · November 02, 2015, 09:32:41 AM

One would hope it's far better than a 10x8 shed from B&Q then !

Located on the Hall's premises ? Covered by their insurance ?

Graham Walters · November 02, 2015, 09:40:24 AM

Quote from: MikeDunn on November 02, 2015, 09:32:41 AM
One would hope it's far better than a 10x8 shed from B&Q then !

Located on the Hall's premises ? Covered by their insurance ?

Not covered by the halls insurance, thats an extra cost.

MikeDunn · November 02, 2015, 10:01:03 AM

So the only thing you get from them is - you get in for 3 hours a week ? Nothing else at all ?

I'd look for better premises, myself !

PLD · November 03, 2015, 08:05:59 PM

Hull MRS is currently £48 per year + £2 per week payable only for the weeks you attend (£15+£1 for under 18s). Of approx 60 members, around 35-40 per week attend so on average members put in around £120 per year.
I personally think that is good value for what we get out of it and compares well with other clubs who provide a lot less...

For that we have exclusive occupancy of large clubrooms with 24/7 access. Facilities include a kitchen/canteen area, workshop and library. The Club also funds the construction costs of layouts (but not supply of rolling stock) which in some cases can run to £1000s. Currently there are 8 operational layouts in N, TT, 009, 00, EM & O scales of which typically 3-4 will be set up in the clubrooms at any time plus another 4 under construction.

Members may also use the facilities for their own personal layouts (subject to club layouts having priority for space)

JasonBz · November 03, 2015, 08:11:12 PM

Excuse the pun but from what I see/hear Hull MRS really is a paragon of what a club should be.

Graham Walters · November 03, 2015, 10:09:42 PM

Quote from: MikeDunn on November 02, 2015, 10:01:03 AM
So the only thing you get from them is - you get in for 3 hours a week ? Nothing else at all ?

I'd look for better premises, myself !

Talking to people in the model shops and the sales people, where we are, the cost getting there, and the limited time, could be a reason why we struggle to get new members.
On the books we have 30 members, around half of that turn up each week, and it's always the same people.

Buzzard · November 04, 2015, 08:09:04 AM

The group I'm in charge £144 per year to be a full member.

For that you get 24/7 access to the clubroom, library and fully fitted workshop. There's also a small kitchen and a seating area where the chairman holds court each week. All layouts are permanently erected which is just as well as one takes 2 to 3 hours to assemble or disassemble.

In addition to the club layouts members can rent some space, at a price agreeable to the treasurer, for their own layout if they don't have enough room at home. One chap pays an extra £100 per year for this facility.

The group also offers an associate membership rate, £20 per year and £5 per visit, but that only gets them access on club evenings.

In total there are between 25 and 30 members and a good majority attend on club afternoon / evenings.

Given the amount of the full membership fee and the facilities on offer I think less than £3 per week is an absolute bargain. Personally I don't know how the group can charge so little for the clubroom rent alone not to mention buying upwards of 30 O gauge wagon kits for "the big" layout and also planning to build a new OO gauge layout.

Newportnobby · November 04, 2015, 10:04:33 AM

I'd always be wary of any club which charges for membership which includes buying stock for layouts as who exactly then owns said stock?

Chris Morris · November 04, 2015, 10:19:16 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 04, 2015, 10:04:33 AM
I'd always be wary of any club which charges for membership which includes buying stock for layouts as who exactly then owns said stock?

In my experience club owned stock tends to become very poor over the years due to lack of maintenance. It is probably best avoided unless the layout being built has some specialist requirements that you wouldn't expect members to buy/make for themselves.
We have a policy of letting any stock be run at the club but try very hard to run stock which fits together and fits the layout at exhibitions. I think this is fair for everyone -members deserve to be able to run their stock on club layouts but paying visitors to exhibitions have deserve to see reasonably accurate trains.

red_death · November 04, 2015, 10:33:56 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 04, 2015, 10:04:33 AM
I'd always be wary of any club which charges for membership which includes buying stock for layouts as who exactly then owns said stock?

I'm not sure why there would be any confusion - it would be the club.

Some exhibition layouts could definitely do with club stock rather than getting random stock from members that doesn't fit the layout (or relying on one member's stock if that person can't come and understandably doesn't want to lend out his stock when he isn't there).

MikeDunn · November 04, 2015, 10:36:48 AM

One thing that would (potentially) annoy me would be using "my" subs to buy stock for a layout scale I had no interest in ...

talisman56 · November 04, 2015, 11:43:51 AM

£65pa - we meet in a room above a couple of units in the local craft centre, a couple of 00 layouts, one more and an N gauge under constructon. Test tracks for N gauge up to G scale. No additional costs, tea/coffee and biscuits thrown in (not literally) and a couple of local model shops give a discount on production of membership card. Free entry to annual exhibition as long as you are prepared to help - stewarding, door, etc.

Northern Git · November 04, 2015, 12:24:09 PM

at our club we pay £18.00 a month we are based in a commercial unit of 3800 sq ft. there are currently 11 layouts with 5 of them being N gauge. teas, coffees and biscuits are purchased separately on each visit at 20p for a drink and 50p for choc bars. we have access to the club room 24/7 but the main nights are Tuesday and Thursday. but like I said you can go in any time during the day to work or all weekend if you like. I think there is 30+ members at present with 7 layouts on he show circuit.

PLD · November 04, 2015, 01:17:43 PM

Quote from: MikeDunn on November 04, 2015, 10:36:48 AM
One thing that would (potentially) annoy me would be using "my" subs to buy stock for a layout scale I had no interest in ...

Is that any different to funding the construction costs of a layout of no interest to you??

In a club of any size, the chances of a single layout being of interest to every member are extremely small, so as long is there is something of interest to you funded on an agreed equitable basis does it matter??

MikeDunn · November 04, 2015, 01:37:15 PM

Quote from: PLD on November 04, 2015, 01:17:43 PM
as long is there is something of interest to you funded on an agreed equitable basis does it matter??

Aye, that's the rub, innit ? Will there be ... ?

Personally, I'd prefer it if the subs went on the facilities, and the layouts were funded by those interested + things like Open Days & 2nd-hand sales. How practical that is, I have no idea, not being a member of a local group ...