Shooting club may have to close

Huntingdonshire District Council has told Shooting Times that its plans to close a local shooting range, as revealed in last week?s magazine, are necessary to save money and reduce the council?s deficit. Members of St Ives Rifle and Pistol Club, in Cambridgeshire, said that the redevelopment proposals at One Leisure, in St Ives, which houses the range will sound the death knell for the club, as there are no other suitable facilities in the area.

The club?s secretary, Terry Smith, told Shooting Times that he believed his sport was being treated unfairly: ?In 1972, there was a grant from the Eastern Sports Council to put rifle shooting and squash courts in the leisure centre. In 2000, the squash courts were moved out and alternative facilities were provided. Surely it is not unreasonable to ask that the rifle shooting facilities are considered on the same basis.

?The ultimate irony is that the Council is running taster sessions for various sports in the area at the moment and they are using our club to lay on sessions designed to give people a taste of rifle shooting! Those sessions are fully booked, which shows the great interest that exists.?

The rest of this article appears in 16th March issue of Shooting Times.

What is YOUR opinion?

Join other ST readers in our forums to discuss your views.

Like this article? Mark this page on a social bookmarking website…

us, said: