Mudeford Sailing Club

HURRAH !  

At last MSC now owns Freehold land and the Club’s future is ensured.

First the whole Club must be thanked for their support and patience and especially many individuals (too many to name individually but all know who they are) who have helped to make the dream come true.

The hazy dream all started at the AGM 27 October 2007, some 773 days ago.  During the first year, initial investigations showed it might be possible to own and control our future.

At the Committee Meeting on the 17 November 2008 a sub-committee was formed to look into the Club’s future, consisting of Rowena Hope, John Snelling, Peter Nicholson and Mark Gardener. The hazy dream had now turned into a positive dream and negotiations started with the three separate businesses,  Bournemouth West Hampshire Water, Strides’ Boatyard and Strides’ Moorings, all, quite rightly, wishing to protect their own future. We must state, quite clearly and strongly, that having these three businesses as neighbours has been, and will be, very important to us that they continue as financially strong neighbours into the future. It is with this in mind that all negotiations have been based.

The difficult decision was taken as to whom to approach first without upsetting our other friendly business neighbours.  The sub-committee decided to approach BHWH first to see if they were willing to sell some of their harbour bed to MSC, and at what cost.  If BHWH were not prepared to sell, or the price was too high, the dream would be dead.  MSC had several meetings with Mike Rhodes from BHWH and the answer was “yes they would sell” and at a very favourable price of £36,000, for the land area we specified.

With this position agreed with BHWH, we approached Stella Stride, who owns the Lease from BWHW for the moorings, and because of that she was our Landlord for the ground underneath our Club House, Vrouwe Johanna, and dinghy trots. We asked Stella Stride if she would release the ground from her lease, and, at the same time, we had to negotiate with her compensation from BHWH and MSC for loss of income. MSC are indebted to Stella Stride for negotiating the change in her business for the benefit of our Club.

At the same time MSC were in discussions with Strides’ Boatyard, Maggie Stride, Linda Monk and Nick Monk.  SBY own the foreshore, which, without their agreement, MSC would own a Freehold that was land-locked.  MSC have a permanent legally binding pedestrian access across the foreshore to the public right of way. At the same time, we have managed to help the SBY strengthen their business.  Again MSC are indebted to all at the Boatyard for their willingness to give us full support and backing throughout the negotiations. MSC must not forget they owe their existence to the Stride family as a whole by coming to their help in their hour of need many years ago.

The last few months Harry McKeown, our in-house solicitor, has been drafting more than ten legal documents from all parties for the conveyances etc. He phoned today to give the good news that all contracts are now legally binding on all parties. Harry also added that it has been a long time since he has had such a complicated conveyance to complete.

Lastly, we must come back to Mike Rhodes of BHWH to thank him for all his support and help over the many months, and one of the sub-committee’s aims is to have a continuing working relationship with BWHW for us to be linked to this prestigious local/global Company, which can only be to MSC’s benefit.  BHWH will have the kudos of supporting an active local sailing club, which helps to produce world champions.

MSC’s committee will have to hold an EGM in the near future to make changes to the Club’s rules, accept the four trustees that hold the land,  and decide whether the Club becomes an  Community Amateur Sports Club or seeks Charity Status.  At the EGM all members will see, in detail, what the Club have gained by buying the Freehold.

LONG LIVE MUDEFORD SAILING CLUB

Mark Gardener

12^th February 2010

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