National rifle association bulletin

[ColinR]

If Nic Couldrey (NRA Regional Ranges Manager) is successful in acquiring the leasehold of defunct MOD ranges as he is planning you will have your 600yard ranges and more. In the meantime give him details of independently owned ranges that the NRA might join in partnership with.

hopefully the lease will be very long?? shame they can't look at just buying the land and let the mod lease it back from them.

or at least with leasing it, maybe that will release them from landmarc hoops and allow it to be run like over ranges in the country. 77we just need more decent sized, full bore able, equiped ranges that are able to be open more than just on sunday, in this country

Problem is if the land is up for sale then Developers buy at prices way beyond what the NRA can afford. (there is probably some provision on sale of MOD land that they have to get best price, which would preclude an NRA purchase) It seems they (NRA) at least have a plan so hopefully they will pursue every opportunity and we will end up with something more at least. We are in the hands of the NRA to a large extent so they need all the support they can get - something not generally forthcoming on this forum.

[ovenpaa]

Ranges do exist albeit few and far between. I seem to remember a 300m range being up for sale or long lease in the Thetford area 2-3 years ago.

[Chuck]

ColinR:

I just had a long conversation with Nic Couldrey, the NRA Regional Ranges Manager, having emailed him previous with the points made in discussion here.

No disagreement from NIc that the NRA need to spread their influence beyond Bisley. He has been visiting ranges and clubs throughout the country and is formulating plans to evaluate leasing defunct ranges from the MOD. As he says it maintains a military range should they need to use it in the future and provides them an income. Problem is that the NRA are unable to compete with property developers when MOD land becomes available. It is therefore imperative to offer the MOD a deal that is future proof should they need to have continued access to a range, but divest any responsibility for running it and get an income. He is already looking at a couple of sites.

He thought the NRA sponsoring/partnering suitable privately owned ranges a good idea that he would pursue and requested that we provide him with details of any ranges throughout the country that might be of interest - email Nicholas.Couldrey@nra.org.uk or talk to him on 01483 797777. He is a good guy and appreciates that the NRA needs to quickly remodel itself to offer a service to shooters throughout the country, so lets give him the help he needs as he is clearly working on our side.