SECRETARY'S FEBRUARY UPDATE - update weekly
24/02/12
CLUBHOUSE UPDATE 24TH FEBRUARY 2012
During the past ten days a considerable amount of building activity has taken place. Dealing with the outside first, the block work on the south west side of the old front door should be completed by the end of today. While low temperatures had initially hindered brick laying, this is now progressing well although there is still a little more to do on the south west side. Boilers have been installed (not surprisingly) in the boiler room, two more windows will be in place by the end of today and the facia boards at the south east side of the building have been painted.
Moving inside and starting downstairs, studwork has been positioned in the wine and dry food stores. Second fix electrical work has begun in two of the offices and tiling has started in the showers. The under floor heating for the downstairs has been switched on, both to prove the system and to ensure the floor is dried out. In the garden room, the chimney has been constructed to first floor level and a considerable amount of the air conditioning and ventilation systems are now in place. The steels have been plaster boarded in; gas and waste pipes have been laid from the upstairs kitchen downwards, the steps to bottom steps to the stairway have been positioned so that instead of rising up from the east side in the old foyer, these steps now start to rise from the west side.
Finally, the block work for the lift shaft has now been completed.
Moving upstairs, the kitchen has been plastered, further decoration has taken place in and around the dining room cupboards and under floor heating has been laid in the upstairs extension.
Next week, work will concentrate on the gable end; with the aim of putting the roof on or at worst making sure that that part of the building is water tight. In addition, other windows should be in position on the south west side, work will continue in the boiler room. Work on the cellar will comprise changing the entrance from the corridor to outside under the colonnade, which in turn will necessitate erecting another steel. Upstairs, the floor should be laid in the kitchen and throughout second fix electrical work will continue, as will tiling downstairs.
UPDATE ON NOMINATIONS FOR CLUB OFFICIALS, APPOINTMENT OF A CATERING MANAGER & CLUBHOUSE REBUILD
CLUB OFFICIALS
Club Officials. In January 2012 an update was given on which club officials would be standing down at the AGM in April. In the light of recent developments, it is necessary to update members on the latest situation. It should be borne in mind that the closing date for nominations is forty two days before the AGM (10th March) so further nominations may yet be forthcoming.
Commodore. In January, members were informed that Tony Walton would be standing as Commodore. Members may be aware that he had undergone an operation in 2011. While this had been a complete success, he is currently suffering from a totally unrelated secondary health issue. This means that he is uncertain as to whether or not he will be fit enough to undertake the demanding appointment of Commodore in April of this year. Despite being uncertain about his fitness to undertake the role of Commodore, he believes he would be able to continue in the less onerous appointment of Vice Commodore. Yesterday, a special general meeting was convened by the Hon Treasurer to discuss the matter and unanimously agreed to ask Jeremy Willcock to continue in post for another year. It was felt that this would give Tony Walton more recovery time and allow him the chance to stand for election as Commodore in 2013. While health considerations were paramount in the decision a secondary, very important, issue was the need to provide continuity during the clubhouse rebuild – perhaps the most significant event since the foundation of the Club in 1878. General committee members were unanimous in their decision to ask Jeremy Willcock to stand for a fourth year. They were supported in this by all the guardians. Lest any member thinks that such a move is unconstitutional, this is not the case. The situation is not without precedent and Rule 6.2 caters for such an eventuality, provided members support his proposal at the forthcoming AGM.
Flag Officer Nominations:
Commodore – Jeremy Willcock
Vice Commodore – Tony Walton
Rear Commodore (Sailing) – Mark Hall
Rear Commodore (House) – Tina Raymond (continuation in post)
General Committee Nominations:
In January it was announced that four general committee members would be standing down but that one of these, Andrew Knight would be seeking re-election under Rule 10.2
To date three nominations have been received as follows:
John Corke
James Meaning
Sean Mylchreest
CATERING MANAGER
When the Club reopens, there will be a new Catering Manager, Vicky Tribe, whose catering prowess will already be familiar to many. She will assume this appointment on 20th February while Tom Branagh will continue as the Club’s other chef.
CLUBHOUSE REBUILD
Opening Date. Members were informed several months ago that the upstairs of the clubhouse would be re-opened to members on 1st March although work on the extension and downstairs would continue for some time after that. While the builders have been working extremely hard and no blame can be attributable to them, the opening date will slip to the end of March.
This has largely been necessitated by the weather. Members may recall that strong winds before and after Christmas meant that the contractors were unable to work on the roof and the recent cold spell has meant that brick and block work cannot take place because the temperatures are too low (below 3 degrees C) for the cement to set properly. These setbacks have had knock-on effects. Members will be kept updated on building progress and given a specific opening date as soon as possible.
Weekly Building Update. As mentioned above, cold weather has slowed progress this week. The floor in some of the offices, gentlemen’ WCs, corridor and plant room has had screed laid on top of the heating pipes and under-floor heating has now been laid in the garden room. 
The whole of the ground floor should have screed laid by Tuesday 14th February. The upstairs kitchen has been boarded and work has started on the installation of the extraction and air conditioning systems for the upstairs extension. No brick and block work has been possible this week except for a small area around the lift shaft and the fire-place, which is shaping up nicely. The electricians are continuing first fix work (fuse boards are up) – the old cold store has been removed, some windows are currently being fitted to the south east side of the building and upstairs the entrance to the bar has been widened and the surrounding walls plastered and the new cupboards in the dining room have been partially decorated.
Looking ahead, more brick and block work is dependent on a rise in temperature; otherwise it is more of the same!
The next update will appear on Monday 20th February.
CLUBHOUSE UPDATE 6TH FEBRUARY 2012
During the past week a considerable amount of progress has been made. First; the bench, beloved of many, that was situated outside of the entrance has been refurbished and is currently being stored in one of the boatsheds, ready to resume its position outside the entrance, once the rebuild has been finished.
Under floor heating has been installed downstairs in the offices and washrooms and the first part of the air conditioning system has been installed in the garden room. Due to the cold temperatures, only limited brick and block work construction has taken place but one wall of the lift has been built. The east gable end roof of the building has been finished, less the tiling. Moving inside, and upstairs, the doorway to the bar has been considerably widened and the new opening to the kitchen has been formed. The upstairs kitchen is now “T”, as opposed to “L”, shaped. The storerooms to the south of the dining room have been plastered and limited decoration has taken place. Finally, the electricians have completed much of their first fix work.
This week it is hoped that the current building momentum will be maintained. The gas supply will be laid for the fire in the extension and the remainder of the under floor heating will be laid in the rest of the ground floor. Some windows should arrive and will be fitted and the WCs and offices should have some screed laid on top of the under floor heating. Members should note that this is programmed for Thursday 9th February and the coming and going of cement lorries may disrupt car parking on that date.Floor joists will be laid on the western extension and more block and brick work will be taking place to the west of the old entrance. This will include the chimney on the south side of the garden room. The ceilings in the lavatories and upstairs kitchen will be plaster-boarded and on Tuesday the eastern gable end roof should be tiled.