Dear Members,
Since I last wrote to you all I have been touring the countryside of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire delivering your newsletter to those who either do not have an email address or those who have not given it to us. Wow! I didn’t realise how far flung our Members are and in what beautiful countryside places some of you live. It has been lovely to meet you and have a chat about what you want from your Club. Thanks to all of you for your warm welcome. I also have to thank my husband Howard for being my chauffeur – he drove a round trip of 64 miles one day. As well as meeting some of you I managed to get over 90 new email addresses which is brilliant.
In a more serious vein the Committee met on 23rd September to discuss the impact of the revised regulations regarding Covid-19.
We still have to adhere to the original measures i.e. hand sanitiser at convenient points, removal of menus from the tables, condiments now in individual sachets, a one-way system in the Lounge, no more than six people at a table and, not to forget the social distancing.
We will now, by law, have to ensure that everyone is out of premises by 10.00 pm curfew. There is to be no drinking up time and Miles, our Steward will be calling last orders at 9.30 pm. Your fob will not allow you entry after 9.30 pm.
Please note that from the 1st October the Club will be open at 6.00 pm every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
It will be mandatory for face coverings to be worn in the Club when not seated at a table. So when you walk through the Lounge or go to the toilets you will be required to wear a face covering. Staff will also be required to wear a face covering when serving you.
Table service is now compulsory and will be the order of the day. When you enter the Lounge you should find a table and wait until someone comes to take your order whether for a drink or food.
When you enter the Club and go to sign in you will notice a new sheet of paper with a QR code on. We are required to display that by law. If you have downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app on to your phone you can use your phone app to “sign in” to the Club otherwise you will have to sign in by hand.
Snooker The “rules” around the wearing of a mask while playing snooker are not evident so, after some research on the internet, we have taken the approach that masks must be worn when entering, leaving and moving around the premises unless you are seated, drinking or taking part in a game of snooker and you feel it would negatively affect your ability to play. If we find more specific advice to the contrary we will notify you of the new “rules”
Please remember:
- Do not enter the Club if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of Covid-19
- Keep at least 1 metre apart, wherever possible, from Members who are not from your household.
- Sit and socialise in a group of no more than six at a table and do not socialise with people from other tables.
We have also been forced to review the start times of various events as follows:
With effect from 1st October the Snooker Room will open at 6.00 pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. On Tuesdays the doors will open as usual at 7.00 pm.
On Friday the Meat Draw and Play your Cards Right will start at 8.45 pm prompt. Draw tickets will be sold prior to that.
Sunday Night Quiz and games will start at 8.00 pm prompt.
Wednesday Night Quiz /Open the Box will start promptly at 8.00 pm.
We are also keeping the planned Entertainment Evenings under close review – watch this space.
Each night Miles will be calling “last orders” at 9.30 pm and everyone must have left the premises by 10.00pm.
We hope the revised timings will allow you to enjoy the regular events whilst still observing the law. If we find that events are taking longer than anticipated we may have to change the start times again. Please bear with us, this is not a science!
Reservations are NOW available for Christmas Day Lunch
A five-course menu served at the table for only £49.95 per person. Pre-booking including payment in full is essential. Don’t delay – places are restricted. Bookings can be made over the Bar where the menu will be available for you to make your choices. You can also see the menu on the website and we will be sending a separate email about this event as soon as possible.
Look out for the December Calendar of events soon to be published.
During September the Ladies Section enjoyed their first gathering since the lockdown in March. We all tested our brain power with a quiz. It was lovely to have a good chat with each other after so long. Any ladies wishing to join the section should contact the Chairperson, Mrs Diane Plumb by replying to this email and we will forward your enquiry.
On Saturday 12th September Dot Town called the Bingo and Tony Lawson kept us all in line whilst taking our money. Thank you, Dot and Tony. They are back by popular demand on Saturday 17th October.
Miles and Andrea made the Steak Night one to remember with the help of Nikki, Matthew and Olivia. A great atmosphere with beautiful steaks and wine to tickle the palate. What more could you ask for? Thanks to all of you for a great night.
On Saturday the 26th September a Macmillan Coffee Morning was held in the Lounge. The support was fantastic, thanks you to all of you who baked, donated and bought cakes. They were all delicious and as you can see below created a wonderful spread.
Guess the Weight of the Cake raised the superb amount of £27.00 .The very large, weighty cake was expertly baked and decorated in Macmillan colours by Pat Cowley. On Saturday we discovered it weighed 8lbs 14.3oz. The lucky winner was Mick Anderson with the nearest guess of 8lbs 12oz. Congratulations to Mick!
I would also like to thank those people who gave Tombola prizes. We raised a fantastic £93 on that stall alone.
Thank you to those of you who came and had a cup of coffee and cake – your support was overwhelming! and without you we would not have raised a FANTASTIC total of £470. Obviously a cause close to many people’s hearts.
A special thank you to Sheila Andrew, Miles, Andrea, Betty Edlin and Pat Cowley who organised the event under difficult circumstances.
Farewell to Sheila Crawford
On Monday 28th September the Committee held a goodbye Buffet for Sheila, one of our two cleaners. After 16 years of service Sheila has decided to hang up her dusters in favour of a lie –in. I don’t blame her. We will miss her attention to detail and eagle eye but we wish her a happy retirement.
Staffing
Regrettably the pandemic has forced the Committee to evaluate the staffing levels at the Club. We have been in a negotiating process with all staff and happily they have agreed to reduce their working hours by half. So, you will continue to see George Townrow our handyman, Joanne Allam, cleaner, Andrea Bell and Michael Combes, Assistant Cooks but not quite as often as before. They all took a pragmatic approach to our need to reduce the wage bill and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of them for their commitment to the continuing business of the Club.
Coming up soon in October!!
From Thursday 1st October
The Club will be open at 6.00 pm every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Miles will be offering a TEA TIME SPECIAL on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
(unless we have an entertainment / special event) from 6.00 pm until 8.00 pm. A two-course meal at £6.00 per person. Menu available at the Bar, on the website.
NB Food will not be available on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Monday 5th October
Ladies Night at 7.30 pm – unfortunately and due to the pandemic, this meeting is now cancelled.
Saturday 17th October
Bingo Night – starting with a basket meal for £5 per person at 6.00 pm followed by Bingo all welcome. Eyes Down at 7.30 pm. Pre-booking essential
Sunday 18th October – Billiards Tournament all day in the Snooker Room. The room will be available for Members use in the evening
Saturday 24th October – Entertainment by Kim a multi – instrumentalist and vocalist – a two course meal (Mediterranean /Greek) for £12.50 per person served between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm. Pre-booking essential.
Wednesday Night Quiz and Open the Box – tickets sold from 7.30 pm quiz now starting promptly at 8.00 pm
Friday Night Meat Draw – tickets sold from 8.00 pm onwards, the Meat Draw will commence at 8.45 pm prompt
Sunday Lunch – enjoy a choice of meats and vegetables for £6.95. You can’t go wrong. Table reservations available from 12.00 pm to 2.30 pm.
Sunday Night Quiz and games – come and test your knowledge, tickets sold from 7.30 pm, quiz starting promptly at 8.00 pm
For all reservations / event enquiries please phone the Club on 01636 701310 or Miles, our Steward on 07738 628668. This is particularly important at the moment to ensure that we have a safe number for social distancing in the Lounge.
The Committee really value your support and thank you for your patience. See you at the Club soon.
Best wishes
Ruth
Acting Chairwoman – Ruth Lockwood
Secretary – Tony Lawson, Treasurer – Helen Andrew
Committee Members – Sheila Andrew, Alan Card, Ian Stonier, Darren Willson and Vaughan Wright.
If you would like to comment on this Bulletin please do so by email .The Club email address (info@newarkconservativeclub.org) is being monitored and you will receive a reply.,
