Site Admin, Author at The Club for Acts and Actors

Chairman’s Newsletter August 2019

16th August 201913th August 2019 by Site Admin

Hello dear Members,

I hope you are enjoying the summer!

As you know the club is closed now for refurbishment and should have been open again at the beginning of September.

But actually things have changed & instead of just a refurb we are actually going to have a new Club!!!

As you will see from the photos on the Website, the club has more or less been ‘gutted ‘. Please bear in mind these were taken in mid-June and things have moved on dramatically. We are having a complete new Kitchen; a new extended Bar; a smaller office to accommodate a wider entrance to the bar and lift exit; a lift from the foyer up to the office level and a small stair lift up to the Bar. In the Concert Hall we will have a new extended stage area and brand new AV and lighting, all of this together with other interesting changes including new floor and panelling. The whole club has been rewired and other issues such as water intakes rationalised.

We have excellent builders/electricians & consultants etc working for us and they are paying great attention to detail. The works really are complex! The builders have gone back to the brickwork to give us a new sturdy club that will last at least another 50 years. All our supporting beams have been checked and steel supports designed especially for the lift.

Yes the cost has escalated but, in the scheme of things and percentage wise to what our building is worth plus the value we will add to the building, it is worth it. All costs have been closely monitored and are within our overall target and contingency budgets.

When dear Jack Warner first found our building & Rank was our guarantor for the Mortgage, all the members contributed monies & eventually they paid off the Mortgage so that we own the freehold of the club!

Dear members, it seems history is repeating itself. As I said at our AGM in March this year we need the members to contribute to take this club into the future! As I said if our 1000 members donated £100 each wow! Obviously many cannot afford that which is absolutely understandable, but any donation however small will be gratefully received by us to help the future of our club.

It has been suggested that some club together & buy individual items. So I have asked the Architects to send us a list of prices of things that we can look at. We will put it on the website and also in the post with your individual Newsletters. It is an exciting time! We will be having ‘fundraisers’ for a few years to build up our coffers again! Some millionaire might donate the lift or the sound system! Any good suggestions are very welcome. The whole Committee are thinking about ways to raise money.

This is just an interim Newsletter to let you know how we are progressing. I will let you know how we progress in a couple of weeks again when we know the FINAL COST!!!!

Look out for your Newsletter in the post. Malcolm& Val will be addressing the envelopes as I write!!!

Love & thanks to you all for your support & patience at this momentous time in our Club’s History.

KAY CARMAN (Chairman)

Major Club Refurbishments of 2019 Part.2

16th August 201913th August 2019 by Site Admin

PICTURES OF THE CLUB’S ONGOING REFURBISHMENT TAKEN 18TH JUNE 2019

Extract from the Chairman’s August 2019 Newsletter:

The club has more or less been ‘gutted ‘. Please bear in mind these were taken in mid-June and things have moved on dramatically. We are having a complete new Kitchen; a new extended Bar; a smaller office to accommodate a wider entrance to the bar and lift exit; a lift from the foyer up to the office level and a small stair lift up to the Bar. In the Concert Hall we will have a new extended stage area and brand new AV and lighting, all of this together with other interesting changes including new floor and panelling. The whole club has been rewired and other issues such as water intakes rationalised.

Kay Carman

Major Club Refurbishments of 2019 Part.1

8th May 20197th May 2019 by Site Admin

Following close of business on Thursday 30th May the Club will undergo a much needed and imaginative make over.

Electrical re-wiring became a necessity and so this opportunity is being grasped to make major improvements at the same time.

The Hall will have new panelling, floor, stage, stage lighting and sound systems. There will be a small platform lift from the entrance hall to the first landing where the entrance to the bar will be widened and it is intended to add a chair lift for the final steps into the bar.

We have to address the damp in the entrance hall but will preserve the iconic posters photographically to reproduce them as wallpaper. The Bar will be enlarged and the club’s decor greatly enhanced throughout.

We aim to protect the atmosphere and friendly nostalgic feel of the past whilst making the club more comfortable and accessible for all. Gently bringing us into the 21st Century but paying homage to our lovely history.

After thorough research interviews and presentations from various firms we, the committee appointed architects Bradley Van Der Straeten to oversee the works along with our excellent cost consultant, electrical and building consultants. The design is by much respected architect George Bradley who has shown great empathy with the club. We later found out that his father is the esteemed actor David Bradley!

Sarah Cosby from the firm has been liaising with us every step of the way. The final decisions on costings will be made by the Chairman and full committee on 30th May and the contracts will be signed. From that day forwards due to Health and Safety reasons, the builders GMS, are in charge on the premises.

From time to time, Kay, Ron and Chris will be invited in, if needed, for consultation. The builders will photograph the various stages of work and the Committee will update you via this web site and a Newsletter. Here are some initial concept designs for you to peruse – It is an exciting time for our club. It is for our future!!

We are moving Malcolm and Val out to a new office venue during the work. We will inform you of the address asap.

The club closes to members at close of business on 30^th May and the CAA at 20 Bedford Street will be closed for business from 31^st May.

Monday evenings will continue during the closure at the function room of the Water Rats Pub, Grays Inn Road. From 5.30pm onwards from 3^rd June.

Chairman’s Report ~ March 2019

9th April 201929th March 2019 by Site Admin

The AGM in March 2018 was well attended and we had some lively discussions. This present committee have been wonderful this year and I want to thank them ALL for their continued help and support. All our office suites are solidly occupied.

One of the rents is up for review in September. We have had an ‘interesting‘ year with the Adventure Bar, when suddenly their outside décor became frighteningly ‘floral’ without seeking our permission! But after a long period, during which I decided to involve our magnificent solicitors, it is all sorted out along with a large increase in rent. I thank the committee for supporting me in this.

Our Social Functions continue to be a huge success and often sell out quickly. We are always open to new ideas so if you have any please send a letter to us, email or contact us through the web site. Sally and her catering team led by Syed always provide excellent meals at the functions. Carlos and Syed cater for lunchtime customers.

We thank our bar staff Candice and Chris. Saturday evening opening seems to be picking up so we will be continuing it until our refurbishment closure. Thanks to Liam our stage manager who often works above and beyond the call of duty. Also to the furniture moving heroes on Mondays and at functions. And to others who help with tickets and filling envelopes when required.

Grateful thanks to Malcolm who mans the office and Val his assistant. They come to work ‘through hell and high water’ and almost never have a day off sick! Real showbiz troupers. Thank you.

Thanks must go to the Benevolent Fund Trustees who work quietly and confidentially on your behalf. If any ‘A’ members are in need please contact them and if any other members need help, please contact myself or a Committee member because we have the Samaritan Fund which helps and also provides taxis for our less able members.

Finally, an exciting time is approaching! This Committee wants to future proof our wonderful club for the young and not so young for many years to come. So, because of the need for complete rewiring, we will be doing a major refurbishment as well, including the installation of a small platform lift. It will be a lengthy and costly undertaking, but our finances are in excellent order and we have a budget. So please embrace this period of our club.

We have an excellent firm of Architects and they have good consultants and builders. We are on board with every decision and nothing will be done without our agreement. The Committee and I have put a lot of time and effort into this project because we love the club so much. I am very proud and honoured to have been your Chairman again. We need to protect this unique club well into the future. My love and thanks to you all for your support.

KAY CARMAN