NEWSLETTER OF THE ARMY & NAVY CLUB 36 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5JN Issue No. 52 | Winter 2018 A Message from the Chairman January 2017, your Board agreed to raise subscriptions by around 7.5%; we are pleased that we still have much lower subscription Major General Peter Grant Peterkin CB OBE rates than most neighbouring Clubs in SW1. Details of the revised subscriptions are included in this Newsletter. After taking over as your Chairman at the Annual General Meeting in September, I am pleased to Stephen Simmons, Chair of the House Committee, has already made have the opportunity to write to you all. a number of changes to the Dining Room (previously called the Coffee Room); the menu has been improved and the layout changed to make it It is important that we look to the future and those of you attending more comfortable. Reductions have been made to the Wine List prices the AGM will have experienced the positive theme of reconciliation and his Committee has also suggested the refurbishment of some of between those who had been supporters of Project Bison and those the bedrooms and the conversion of some of the space into a small who had had concerns about the concept and costs. The Club fitness centre. The Board has also agreed to reduce the bedroom was most fortunate that Paul Botterill, the Acting Chairman after the charges, which we feel have hitherto been a little on the high side: we resignation of Colonel Ian Paterson, conducted proceedings in a spirit hope, indeed we are confident that room charges more in line with of openness and inclusion and was prepared to allow the Special those of our competitors will both attract new members and encourage Resolutions to be discussed at the AGM. We were also lucky to be existing members to use their club more, particularly when combined able to turn to an existing member, Tim Hartley QC, who volunteered with the lower wine and food charges that have been put in place. to chair this part of the meeting. There was a strong sense of support We are also working hard to provide a greater variety of events at the and affection for our Club and a determination to move forward Club to appeal to a wider cross-section of our members. In addition together to transform our operations, finances and relationships. to Tim Hartley’s talents at the AGM, he is one of two Englishmen on the Conseil de la Jurade de Saint-Emilion and has become the Club’s The customary Board meeting was held after the AGM and our priority Master of the Cellar. I hope that you will soon be enjoying the fruits of was to ensure that any new Board was compliant with our own Articles his expertise and his aim to find a greater range of affordable wines. and Constitution. We knew we had narrowly missed getting the 40% of votes necessary to change the Club’s Articles, so we needed to have The main priority for the Membership Committee led by Captain Niall a 75/25% split of Full Military Members to Full Members on the Board Macnaughton and the Women’s Committee led by Professor Caroline by co-opting four Full Military Members. We were joined Gatrell, is to increase the number of paying members, to by Major Frank Froud (as Vice Chairman), Captain Edward encourage more younger members to join, and to make “ The restored Album (a lawyer able to guide the Board on legal matters), The Rag an attractive and welcoming venue for women. Captain Niall Macnaughton (Chairman Membership good fortunes of This will not change the enduring military ethos at The Rag Committee), and Brigadier John Lucken. We were fortunate the Club is in the but instead ensure that the Club is a venue in itself and that they had all done recent work with the Board and so is used by more members and their friends, creating an hands of us all ” were able to hit the ground running. atmosphere where people will choose to pop in for a drink or a meal. It is hoped that the trial relaxation in dress code The Board’s subsequent clear priority was the need to address the will help in this. The Dress Code is revised to state ‘We have no dress current financial position whilst also looking further ahead as to how code at the Club other than asking members to dress in a manner best the Club might be restructured, including a pressing need to alter which they feel is appropriate to the occasion, and with consideration the terms of the Articles and Constitution as they reflect an era when for other guests’. This trial will run for six months. The Board felt that most of the membership was military. Such changes need to be the the new arrangement better reflected what members, their friends basis of the Club’s growth both in terms of membership numbers and and guests were wearing outside the Club. Enforcement of the former revenue streams. John Theophilus and his Finance Committee face Dress Code was highlighted by the staff as the most problematic making some difficult recommendations to the Board: the Club has aspect of their work and several members asked for a change. lost some 25% of our cash or liquid assets and is trading some 15% The Board felt that this would encourage new and younger members below year on year; both 2017 and 2018 were difficult and we are to join and use the Club. forecasting an unavoidable budget deficit in 2019. The figures in 2018 were helped by the sale of the Queen Victoria bust, but family silver The secret to turning our financial situation around is really quite can only be sold once. The Board will consider things very carefully simple. I am told that if each of us paying members stayed at before using the investment portfolio or using the existing loan the Club and used its facilities just once more than at present, our facility, which is secured against the investment portfolio. Our capital revenues would increase by £550k and the current revenue issue expenditure is constrained by our limited cash holdings. The Club would be behind us. So the restored good fortunes of the Club is in needs investments in both the Mechanical & Electrical systems – the the hands of us all; do come and stay, encourage your friends, family lifts are nearly 20 years old – and in some necessary improvements in and colleagues to join, try the new menu and wine list. Once the the facilities to make the Club more relevant, attractive and better value new Members’ Forum on The Rag website is up and running in a few for money to our members. Hence the Board’s recent agreement that weeks’ time, you can then give us your views or, in the interim, please Club subscriptions would have to be increased now so as to be in time email your comments to [email protected]. for the annual cut-off date for Direct Debits. Given increased running costs such as business rates, the salaries of the lowest paid staff, I look forward to meeting many of you and hearing your views over the and the fact that there had been no increase in subscriptions since coming months. UPCOMING EVENTS We hope you will enjoy the programme below and that you will be able to attend some of these events. Please note there are only a limited number of tickets for many of the events, so early booking is recommended. Please apply by completing the events booking form on the back page. If you have any enquiries, please contact Emily or Juliet at [email protected] or call 020 7827 8079. PLEASE NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, Members should make Club Talk: In conversation with Louis de Bernières their own way to events and exhibitions. Your receipt for payments Wednesday 28th November 2018, 19.00 of events organised by the Club will include a map and directions Acclaimed author Louis de Bernières, famed for his fourth on how to get to them. novel ‘Captain Corelli's Mandolin’, will be in conversation about his new book ‘So Much Life Left Over’ amongst other topics. Club Talk: The King’s Pilgrimage Tickets: £15 per person to include glass th Monday 26 November 2018, 11.30 of wine An account of King George V’s visit to the war graves in Belgium and France. Tickets: £10 per person to include glass of wine Carol Concert at St. James's Church, Piccadilly Tuesday 4th December 2018, 18.30 Club Talk: Operation Aleppo Carol Concert at St James's Church Tuesday 27th November 2018, 18.00 Piccadilly with the East India Club and An unprecedented insight into the most The Naval & Military Club. ambitious Russian military campaign since the Tickets: £15 for carol concert only, £40 for carols and buffet Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in the 1980s. 10% accommodation discount Tickets: £10 per person to include glass of wine FOR YOUR DIARY DATE EVENT Monday 26th November Club Talk: The King’s Pilgrimage Tuesday 27th November Club Talk: Operation Aleppo Wednesday 28th November Club Talk: In conversation with Louis de Bernières Tuesday 4th December Carol Concert at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly Thursday 6th December Club Talk: Max Hastings, Vietnam – an epic tragedy Thursday 6th December Members Christmas Drinks Thursday 13th December Members Christmas Lunch Wednesday 16th January Club Talk: Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War. An Undeserved Reputation? Wednesday 23rd January Burns Night Ceilidh Thursday 31st January Club Talk: Stress, Health and Happiness Thursday 7th February The Phantom of the Opera Thursday 14th February Club Talk: In conversation with Sir Chris Bonington CVO CBE DL Thursday 21st February Club Talk: Haig’s Enemy - Crown Prince Rupprecht and Germany’s War on the Western Front Friday 22nd February Guided tour of The Lost Treasures of Strawberry Hill Exhibition Wednesday 20th March The History of the Club through its Art and Artefacts Saturday 1st June Colonel’s Review Parade and Lunch Thursday 6th June Tri-Club Summer Drinks Reception with East India and Naval & Military Club Saturday 8th June Trooping the Colour Buffet Lunch Wednesday 19th June Royal Ascot 2019, Villiers Club Veranda NEWSLETTER OF THE ARMY & NAVY CLUB Club Talk: Max Hastings, Vietnam - an epic tragedy Club Talk: Haig's Enemy - Crown Prince Thursday 6th December 2018, 17.30 Rupprecht and Germany's War on the Western The Club is thrilled to welcome celebrated author, broadcaster Front (lecture) and journalist Max Hastings to talk about Thursday 21st February 2019, 18.00 his latest book ‘Vietnam – an epic tragedy’.