Access to Hambrook

[bholleran]

All,

I am really disapointed to have to post this but due to an unfortunate set of cirumstances beyond my control. We are now in the position of having very limited / no access to hambrook.

Please do not fly there unless you have contacted me first to check the current situation.

Without wishing to pin blame on anyone I feel it is important to outline some of the reasons why this has happend so that others might prevent the loss their own site. I will post the details of what has happened openly on the forum but I will not name those involved other than myself as I am fully aware of my own failings.

I am aware that some of you know who / what has happend with this in mind can I please ask that no one post \ suggests or hints at the names of those involved. So as to avoid further embarresment. And this really is not a go at any individual or group of individuals, and I do not want it to turn out that way.

1. I personally spent 1.5 years building relationships with this farmer to be able to use his field. I had exclusive access to the field for 1 year before I opened it up to others. (With the farmers permission). This situation remains unchanged. i.e. I still have access to the field.

2. After a lot of persuasion I managed to convince the farmer that I was trustworthy and would take VERY GOOD care of a key if he could give me a copy. He reluctantly agreed to do this, but at the time he made it quite clear that there were 9 other keys in existance that other people had to access the field. i.e. A Model Aeroplane club, a shooting club etc, but in the 2.5 years of being there I never saw any one else need access.

3. The key was generally held by me or 1 other person. And when access was required the key was obtained and flying took place.

4. On a particular occasion the other key holder had to leave the field before every one else had finished. And the key was left with 1 other paid up member. And arrangments were made to drop the key back to the other keyholder.

5. Without going into any details (For the protection of the farmer, and access to the field, please do not post on the forum, but P.M. me if interested) the key was lost.

6. As I knew this was very sensative I purchased a new padlock and 10 keys to match the original lock (£120), so that I could give to the farmer at the same time as telling him the key was lost, so that all he had to do was swap the padlock.

7. The farmer was rightly very angry, given the promise I made at the begining and he has now refused to fit the new lock. So the only access I now have is climing over the gate.

These point were all in our control and should not have happened. But the next points compounded the problem.

8. Because of the issue last year of not getting the grass cut, by the time the farmer managed to do it, the entire hay yield was wasted and as a result the farmer made no money from the field in the year.

9. The field is owned by more than one family member and they now wanted to find alternative income source form the field. (I offered varying amount for dedicated paramotoring activities, but these were declined - Mostly because of the issues with the key)

10. The field in the near future is scheduled to have livestock or horses in the field so that it can raise money in that way.

So all in all a royal pain in the backside. I am still working on a resolution to this but I think it will take some time and may end up being even more restrictive than it was before.

From my own perspective this was the only field I had access to fly from. So for the time being any one who has access to a field that would allow me to fly from then I will be very open to a reciprical arangment.

Any one else will need to contact me so that I can judge if access can be given.

I am sorry if this comes accross as being harsh but, 1 careless mistake has really affected a lot of people who made use of this fantactic site.

Lets hope that a new year will improve the farmers outlook

[enzo200500]

Well, that just about rounds my year off nicely.

Thanks for trying Barry.

[morgy]

Best get yah butt out and look for a good field Steve....

I do have a small site but can be tricky in some wind directions... And will only be shared with others that have a reciprocal flying site..

[kevpix]

Hi Barry

It's rare I have my finger on the pulse of local flying issues, and nothing has changed as I've only just read your mail regarding Hambrook.

It's a shame we've lost a site where we can all meet up and fly. The agreement Teresa and I have with a local farmer is for two flyers max for a few days a month so not much scope for a fly in!

Thanks very much for all the work you put into Hambrook and I hope you will still be able to fly from there. As always I'll keep my eyes peeled for a suitable flying site that we can all fly from, and I'll let you know if anything turns up.

Good luck for 2013.

Kevin