Nick Wiktorko, secretary of Forde Hall Social Club, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, writes:
It was with surprise that we read the skittles report in the sports section of last week's Mid-Devon Advertiser, penned by John Balment.
Why your newspaper would choose to print unfounded allegations without first seeking a right of reply is of concern to us. We therefore set out below the facts of the pricing policy of Forde House Social Club.
We are a private members' club, founded in the l930s, and we are owned and run by club members. Historically, we were known as the Railway Club and the mahority of our members were then railway workers (when Newton Abbot was a central hub and employed thousands of employees locally).
We are affiliated to the Great Western Railway Staff Association, which gives our members a full range of benefits, but which has no influence on the day to day running of the club.
We are, in fact, the only fully-independent club in Newton Abbot and we continue to trade effectively, without the umbrella protection given to other clubs in the aea by national associations.
As has been well documented natinally, the licensed trade is suffering a real downturn in trade largely as a result of cheap supermarket alcohol and changes in social behaviour. We need to trade profitably to safeguard our membes and we also need to provide benefits to members, as a reward for the annual membership fee they pay.
One of these benefits is a price discount offered against our advertised prices, on production of proof of current membership. We do not penalise non-members, we merely provide a discount to members. We actively encourage non-members to become members to take advantage of the discounts offered, as well as all of the other benefits available to club members.
Our pricing structure is highly competitive, compared to local pubs, and if you take into acount the additional members' discount, the prices are extremely competitive.