I am not privy to all the details of the case, but I am sharing this so you can read and decide for yourself whether to sign, as a gesture of support for the club. Here is the link to the petition and below is the text;
https://www.change.org/p/steve-curran-hounslow-gov-uk-open-the-doors-and-let-thames-tradesmen-s-row?
Hounslow council gave Thames Tradesmen's Rowing club just 4 weeks notice of eviction (with no prior discussion or advanced warning). This is because they plan to knock down the building and put a new one up. However, the council have no funds to do so and so this will not happen for another 2-3 years. Today, they locked the doors on Chiswick Boathouse, stopping Thames Tradesmen's from rowing for the first time in its proud 121 year history. The council are challenging the club's lease that runs until 2033, wanting the club to instead capitulate and sign a rolling 6 month licence. In effect they are saying, 'Unless you sign this license, you cannot row'. The club believes it is only fair and right in a democratic, legal based society that we are allowed to protect the long term survival of the club by holding onto our claim for a longer term lease that had been agreed by the council (and never before contested over the past 33 years). The club has therefore been forced to spend a past President's hard-earned legacy to seek legal clarification from the High court over the lease. The club asked the council last week to delay the eviction until this legal judgment had been heard. They refused. Today they again refused to even talk directly with the club representatives. We want to ask your help in petitioning the council to allow our club members to carry on doing what they love - row. Open the doors! |