MORE PICTURES OF THE REFURB...
On going refurb pictures taken during late August 2019.
Major Club Refurbishments 2019 Part.4
Site Admin
Major Club Refurbishments of 2019 Part.3
MORE PICTURES OF THE REFURB…
These were taken in early August. The structural demolition, rewiring and routing of services such as water intake, removal or renovation and preparation of the walls and brickwork is intricate and forms the basis for all the following redecoration. The lift is being manufactured off site then installed.
Chairman’s Newsletter August 2019
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
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.
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.
Kay Carman
Major Club Refurbishments of 2019 Part.1
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 30th May and the CAA at 20 Bedford Street will be closed for business from 31st 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 3rd June.