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A prestigious crusing membership which has navigated the identical lake for greater than 50 years claims it’s being compelled out amid a bitter authorized battle with a rich landlord.
Weir Wooden Crusing Membership, which is positioned close to the forest which impressed Winnie the Pooh’s ‘Hundred Acre Wooden’, has provided yachting and windsurfing since 1966.
Nevertheless it has been hit by quite a few fees from their new landlord who claims the historic membership is in breach of its lease.
The membership has been accused of inserting yachts and two memorial benches to members on land not coated by their agreed phrases.
And members have been additionally alleged to have uncared for the proper social distancing measures through the Covid-19 pandemic.
However organisers say the brand new landlord has ‘cooked up’ the breaches in an try to drive them out to make manner for his personal rival crusing membership.
The membership says it’s being dragged into courtroom over the claims and compelled to pay for pricey authorized recommendation.
Weir Wooden reservoir in Forest Row, East Sussex, the place a crusing membership based mostly there faces a authorized battle with their landlord
The membership has provided yachting and windsurfing on the identical stretch of water since 1966
Weir Wooden Crusing Membership (pictured) has launched a fundraiser to attempt to increase cash to cowl authorized prices
Weir Wooden Crusing Membership (WWSC), close to East Grinstead in East Sussex, agreed a brand new 50-year lease with the earlier landlord in 2015.
However new landlord Weald Water Enterprises (WWE), run by businessman Alan Catterall, purchased out the previous one in 2021.
Mr Catterall launched his personal water sports activities membership, Weir Wooden Leisure and Sports activities Ltd – in 2022, providing paddle-boarding, rowing and fishing – whereas its web site says: ‘Crusing – Coming Quickly.’
Weir Wooden Crusing Membership believes the owner needs to drive them out and seize their clubhouse for his personal enterprise.
A membership spokesperson stated: ‘Two years in the past the reservoir was taken over by a brand new landlord.
‘The owner has made it very clear that Weir Wooden Crusing Membership shouldn’t be a part of the event plans for the location, regardless of us having over 45 years left on our lease.
The crusing membership agreed a brand new 50-year lease with the earlier landlord in 2015
Membership members imagine the brand new landlord needs to drive them out and seize their clubhouse for his personal enterprise
Individuals are pictured crusing on picturesque Weir Wooden reservoir in Forest Row, East Sussex
‘Over the past 18 months we have now been subjected to an intimidatingly giant variety of authorized and quasi-legal assaults from the owner utilizing a really skilled – and costly – agency of attorneys which we have now had to make use of our restricted sources to fend off.
‘We’ve got now reached the stage the place we face instances within the county courtroom, together with for tiny alleged breaches of our lease phrases which, if we have been to lose, would imply that the membership would forfeit its lease, stop to exist and the trustees and committee may face monetary jeopardy for in search of to defend its existence.’
A membership supply stated: ‘Mr Catterall is making a complete load of claims towards us.
‘This membership has been operating for six a long time offering boating, services and coaching to all – particularly youngsters who adore it. I believe it is stunning what’s being executed.
The membership has launched a crowdfunding marketing campaign to assist fund challenges towards the authorized claims made by the owner.
The membership says during the last 18 months it has been subjected to a lot of ‘authorized assaults’ from the owner
The Membership has been accused of inserting yachts and two memorial benches to members on land not coated by their lease
It has additionally been accused of breaching Covid social distancing rules
A spokesman stated: ‘We can not enable a person with the monetary sources to convey down the curtain on a crusing membership with 50 years of crusing historical past and hundreds of individuals’s quiet enjoyment of the power.
Organisers say the claims made by the owner are ‘unfounded’ and so they intention – ‘to evict us from our longstanding and rightful use of the location.’
They are saying that if the owner, WWE, is profitable then it might convey an finish to half a century of of water sports activities on one of many largest and most stunning inland waterways south of London.
The membership was based in 1966 as a winter solely membership with a clubhouse being constructed on the financial institution of the waterway in 1969. It turned an all yr membership in 1981.
Run by a workforce of volunteers, it’s registered Royal Yachting Affiliation Coaching Centre and runs crusing programs from inexperienced persons to superior, for kids by means of to adults, 7 to 70’s and above.
They Membership says that if the owner, WWE, is profitable then it might convey an finish to half a century of of water sports activities
The membership was based in 1966 as a winter solely membership with a clubhouse being constructed on the financial institution of the waterway in 1969. It turned an all yr membership in 1981
Weald Water Enterprises Ltd is a UK registered firm whose sole asset is the leasehold curiosity within the unique leisure rights on Weir Wooden Reservoir.
Weir Wooden Crusing Membership pays an annual hire of round £35,000, whereas the corporate additionally lets the fishing rights which incorporates the Fishing Lodge and rights to further crusing, canoeing and different rights, producing greater than £25,000.
Alan Catterall, director of Weald Water Enterprises stated the crusing membership is in breach of its lease and because of this the lease could now be forfeited.
He stated: ‘I wish to rationalise the location and develop it by constructing a brand new clubhouse and the crusing membership is in settlement with that.
‘Nonetheless they’ve already admitted a breach of trespass by storing their boats on land not agreed underneath their lease. That matter has been resolved however it’s the different two breaches I’m involved with which I will not go into.’
He stated his formation of a brand new firm was not an try to arrange his personal membership and didn’t battle crusing actions of the current membership.
