Ben Llewellyn’s cycling meet has been moved to High Moss, so the weekend of 13/14 May is now available. You don’t need to rush to grab this slot – I can’t see you having much competition. Apart from Penny Collier’s meet on 10/11 February, a long standing booking from OBEC (who have been coming to the hut for over 50 years) on 22/23 April and Rae Pritchard’s May Day weekend meet (29 April – 1 May), every other weekend is available until the first week in June, when Beudy is reserved for its 75th anniversary celebration . As at today, that is fourteen (fourteen!) weekends where Beudy will be empty. As far as weekday bookings are concerned, one Member has booked to stay from Easter Monday for 4 days. Other than that, nothing has been booked midweek for the rest of the year. Oh, and all the other weekends in June and most of July are available.
Steve and I wonder why.
Surely North Wales climbing and hillwalking is still in fashion. Is it because for a lot of people the A55 expressway (ha ha!) makes a day trip easy? Is it a Covid hangover? If so, is there a way we can reassure people that the hut is safe to use? Do we investigate further segregating the sleeping accommodation? Is it because everyone is just getting old and don’t go on the hills any more? Is it because there is no upstairs toilet? Is it because Members with families are put off by the negative vibes about family use in the Handbook? If it is, please be assured that Steve and I have been encouraging such use. We have had comments from Members saying the hut should be for them, their adult guests and other clubs. To me, that doesn’t sound healthy if this Club is to survive, let alone flourish. Introducing young people to the hills via the hut is vital. Are hut fees an issue, given the cost of living increase (c’mon, surely not)?
All the above are Member-centric issues. If Members aren’t interested in going to Beudy, should Steve and I be advertising wider afield? The hut is old and inefficient and costs money to run and whilst we can go to the Committee for funds to possibly cover a shortfall, is it better Beudy made some contribution by getting money from wherever it can? Lets be careful – letting other (higher fee paying) people in may then lead to Members not being able to book when they want. Hang on – what’s the problem – they don’t book anyway!
If anyone has a view about any of this, please let us know.
Likewise, please let me or Steve know if you want to book the hut.