Just been informed about this and I cannot believe it:
It is with great regret that I have to announce the end of angling at the Lodge Pond fishery in Alice Holt, which has been fished and managed by Farnham Angling Society for over 70 years has been ended without warning by the Forestry Commission: Farnham Angling Society News Page - News of Fantastic Angling on the Hampshire/Surrey/Berkshire Borders for Carp, Catfish, Pike and all Coarse and Game species
Bit of a long statement, but you can probably gather how disgusted they are at their treatment by the Forestry Commission:
LODGE POND CLOSURE FROM THE EVENING OF 25TH APRIL 2011
It is with deep regret that we have to advise that after over 70-years of Farnham Angling Society leasing Lodge Pond from the owners of Alice Holt Forest, the Forestry Commission have decided without any warning or discussion whatsoever, providing no notice whatsoever of their intention not to renew our lease on the fishery.
Lodge Pond will no longer be available as a fishery after Monday 25th April 2011 and no members should fish the venue after that date. The locks will be changed by the Forestry Commission that evening and have indicated that if our Members continue to fish at the site they will be reported for trespass and will be referred to their solicitors, which could result in you being prosecuted.
Farnham Angling Society sincerely apologise to our 3,500+ members for this position, but can advise that the decision was completely beyond our control.
We were aware that the Forestry Commission had concerns about the security of the Alice Holt site and had requested that Farnham Angling Society members always secured the gates when they left. Whilst the Executive Committee relayed this within the 2010 Autumn/Winter newsletter, further incidents of the main site access gates being left unlocked have apparently taken place and break-ins at the site have been reported to the Police.
However, the Forestry Commission ignored communication from Farnham Angling Society and our attempts to discuss the lease. When we were finally able to discuss the lease with the Forestry Commission, more than 14-days after the lease had ended, they stated that the only problem they had encountered with Farnham Angling Society as a tenant over the last 9-years was the locking of the gates. Our monthly checks on litter, in addition to those daily checks already carried out by FAS bailiffs, and the undertaking of speed checks on the forestry track that led to the fishery were deemed more than adequate. However, the security issue alone was considered critical enough to prevent a future lease.
Farnham Angling Society is mortified at the conduct of the and decision of the Forestry Commission as the Society had only two years ago, invested a further £8,000 in extending the car park, and further improving paths and swims that facilitated easier access and use of the fishery for disabled anglers. The provision of such improvements were summarily dismissed by the Forestry Commission. This highlights the dangers of investing in a fishery that we do not own, but as a very popular fishery with our members, was still deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
Through simple response to our emails and phone calls to their offices seeking a meeting to discuss the lease renewal, the Forestry Commission could have advised us of their intentions which they had apparently decided in December 2010, and prevented massive inconvenience to all Farnham Angling Society members that fish this venue. We explained the problems that their total lack of communication had caused to us as a Society in so much as the printing of all FAS advertising brochures and handbooks for the 2011/12 season including Lodge Pond; we explained that over 1,500 FAS permits had already been issued to our members by the time we received notification of their intentions to close the fishery to us causing a massive communication problem; and most importantly we pointed out that they were taking away from our membership a fishery that held a special place in the history of Farnham Angling Society and had been with us for over 70 years - but these were summarily dismissed. It is the underhand way in which they have chosen to sever such a longstanding and mutually beneficial tenancy that is so difficult to understand.
We can only offer our apologies for the way in which they have made their decision and most importantly the way in which they have chosen to relay it to us as a Society and to you as our Members.
We are aware of the ever increasing pressure for the Forestry Commission and other public bodies to raise funding as a result of Government cuts to finance and the current recession, and some of you will be well aware of the Forestry Commission's recently aborted proposal to sell off nationally owned woodland assets, but it appears that the possibility of fundraising from the use of the pond for purposes beyond fishing by our membership has proved too much. We have not been advised what they will be using the lake for, and its appears that they too are not sure themselves at present, and as a result of this we requested that an annual lease be given whilst such consideration was finalised which would have enabled us to prepare for the removal of the venue from next seasons handbook and not disadvantage our members this season, but this too was rejected.
Farnham Angling Society will be lodging a formal complaint with the Chairman of the Forestry Commission with respect to the way in which the Bucks Horn Oak officers have handled the termination of such a long standing lease arrangement with no discussion whatsoever and the resulting effect it has on our Members.
Jeremy Hunt the Farnham MP and Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympic & Sport, has been contacted and requested to represent the 3,500+ members of Farnham Angling Society who have lost a historic fishery that has played an important part in the development of the Society and its Members of all ages since the 1930's.
We believe that the Forestry Commission have acted extremely unprofessionally and unreasonably as a public authority by making a unilateral decision to end a lease under such circumstances in light of the popularity of the venue with our members which they know fish the venue throughout the year, especially from March to September and at weekends. It is irresponsible to end our historic link with Lodge Pond as a local fishing club that has invested so heavily in both its physical development through the swims, car parks and paths but also in terms of the stock of fish that it contains, providing a benefit to Farnham Angling Society with its open membership to those wishing to take part in the UK's most popular participation sport in the country.
Although our Chairman's meeting on 20th April 2011 with the Area Land Agent representing the Forestry Commission has offered no immediate hope, we will be doing all we can to reverse this situation, and as such will be enlisting the support of The Angling Trust, Fish Legal, Jeremy Hunt the Farnham MP and Secretary of State for Sport and Richard Benyon MP the Fisheries Minister, having taken a keen interest in assisting The Angling Trust and being a keen angler himself.
We will keep you updated on any progress made and and changes that occur via our Newsletter and via the Farnham, Angling Website. We are unable to enter into individual communication with Members on this issue, but you may lend your support or register your views to us via email: honsecretary@farnhamanglingsociety.com
Statement issued by The Executive Committee of Farnham Angling Society - 22nd April 2011
It is with great regret that I have to announce the end of angling at the Lodge Pond fishery in Alice Holt, which has been fished and managed by Farnham Angling Society for over 70 years has been ended without warning by the Forestry Commission: Farnham Angling Society News Page - News of Fantastic Angling on the Hampshire/Surrey/Berkshire Borders for Carp, Catfish, Pike and all Coarse and Game species
Bit of a long statement, but you can probably gather how disgusted they are at their treatment by the Forestry Commission:
LODGE POND CLOSURE FROM THE EVENING OF 25TH APRIL 2011
It is with deep regret that we have to advise that after over 70-years of Farnham Angling Society leasing Lodge Pond from the owners of Alice Holt Forest, the Forestry Commission have decided without any warning or discussion whatsoever, providing no notice whatsoever of their intention not to renew our lease on the fishery.
Lodge Pond will no longer be available as a fishery after Monday 25th April 2011 and no members should fish the venue after that date. The locks will be changed by the Forestry Commission that evening and have indicated that if our Members continue to fish at the site they will be reported for trespass and will be referred to their solicitors, which could result in you being prosecuted.
Farnham Angling Society sincerely apologise to our 3,500+ members for this position, but can advise that the decision was completely beyond our control.
We were aware that the Forestry Commission had concerns about the security of the Alice Holt site and had requested that Farnham Angling Society members always secured the gates when they left. Whilst the Executive Committee relayed this within the 2010 Autumn/Winter newsletter, further incidents of the main site access gates being left unlocked have apparently taken place and break-ins at the site have been reported to the Police.
However, the Forestry Commission ignored communication from Farnham Angling Society and our attempts to discuss the lease. When we were finally able to discuss the lease with the Forestry Commission, more than 14-days after the lease had ended, they stated that the only problem they had encountered with Farnham Angling Society as a tenant over the last 9-years was the locking of the gates. Our monthly checks on litter, in addition to those daily checks already carried out by FAS bailiffs, and the undertaking of speed checks on the forestry track that led to the fishery were deemed more than adequate. However, the security issue alone was considered critical enough to prevent a future lease.
Farnham Angling Society is mortified at the conduct of the and decision of the Forestry Commission as the Society had only two years ago, invested a further £8,000 in extending the car park, and further improving paths and swims that facilitated easier access and use of the fishery for disabled anglers. The provision of such improvements were summarily dismissed by the Forestry Commission. This highlights the dangers of investing in a fishery that we do not own, but as a very popular fishery with our members, was still deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
Through simple response to our emails and phone calls to their offices seeking a meeting to discuss the lease renewal, the Forestry Commission could have advised us of their intentions which they had apparently decided in December 2010, and prevented massive inconvenience to all Farnham Angling Society members that fish this venue. We explained the problems that their total lack of communication had caused to us as a Society in so much as the printing of all FAS advertising brochures and handbooks for the 2011/12 season including Lodge Pond; we explained that over 1,500 FAS permits had already been issued to our members by the time we received notification of their intentions to close the fishery to us causing a massive communication problem; and most importantly we pointed out that they were taking away from our membership a fishery that held a special place in the history of Farnham Angling Society and had been with us for over 70 years - but these were summarily dismissed. It is the underhand way in which they have chosen to sever such a longstanding and mutually beneficial tenancy that is so difficult to understand.
We can only offer our apologies for the way in which they have made their decision and most importantly the way in which they have chosen to relay it to us as a Society and to you as our Members.
We are aware of the ever increasing pressure for the Forestry Commission and other public bodies to raise funding as a result of Government cuts to finance and the current recession, and some of you will be well aware of the Forestry Commission's recently aborted proposal to sell off nationally owned woodland assets, but it appears that the possibility of fundraising from the use of the pond for purposes beyond fishing by our membership has proved too much. We have not been advised what they will be using the lake for, and its appears that they too are not sure themselves at present, and as a result of this we requested that an annual lease be given whilst such consideration was finalised which would have enabled us to prepare for the removal of the venue from next seasons handbook and not disadvantage our members this season, but this too was rejected.
Farnham Angling Society will be lodging a formal complaint with the Chairman of the Forestry Commission with respect to the way in which the Bucks Horn Oak officers have handled the termination of such a long standing lease arrangement with no discussion whatsoever and the resulting effect it has on our Members.
Jeremy Hunt the Farnham MP and Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympic & Sport, has been contacted and requested to represent the 3,500+ members of Farnham Angling Society who have lost a historic fishery that has played an important part in the development of the Society and its Members of all ages since the 1930's.
We believe that the Forestry Commission have acted extremely unprofessionally and unreasonably as a public authority by making a unilateral decision to end a lease under such circumstances in light of the popularity of the venue with our members which they know fish the venue throughout the year, especially from March to September and at weekends. It is irresponsible to end our historic link with Lodge Pond as a local fishing club that has invested so heavily in both its physical development through the swims, car parks and paths but also in terms of the stock of fish that it contains, providing a benefit to Farnham Angling Society with its open membership to those wishing to take part in the UK's most popular participation sport in the country.
Although our Chairman's meeting on 20th April 2011 with the Area Land Agent representing the Forestry Commission has offered no immediate hope, we will be doing all we can to reverse this situation, and as such will be enlisting the support of The Angling Trust, Fish Legal, Jeremy Hunt the Farnham MP and Secretary of State for Sport and Richard Benyon MP the Fisheries Minister, having taken a keen interest in assisting The Angling Trust and being a keen angler himself.
We will keep you updated on any progress made and and changes that occur via our Newsletter and via the Farnham, Angling Website. We are unable to enter into individual communication with Members on this issue, but you may lend your support or register your views to us via email: honsecretary@farnhamanglingsociety.com
Statement issued by The Executive Committee of Farnham Angling Society - 22nd April 2011
