The reason, I think, as a retired ex-member of staff, as to the dilemma of the BBC Club is due to  the philosophy within the BBC and not necessarily about the way the BBC Club is run. When I worked at the BBC it was a creative hub where you spent all your time and much of your leisure time with fellow colleagues discussing ideas both in the office and in the canteen and in The Club. The following may explain what I mean, also, in order to make a positive spin and to try to sweep away an air of wanting to return to the past I will try to be positive.
On walking the other day into the Television Reception area I noticed the level of security. Not such a bad thing when you consider that vans could drive into the scene dock and load up with everything from Grand Pianos to cameras and never be seen again.
The receptionists seemed a bit bored but are more courteous than in recent days too, even though they did talk that funny management insincere speak you hear in banks and Hollywood movies: phrases like “Can I help you sir?”. However I had the impression that they were mostly not native to the UK and although the BBC, like us all, is part of the European Union it seemed strange that there was not a level of understanding of British television history amongst them either. I would have thought that this would be not necessary but desirable given that the very fabric of the Television Centre was to generate a knowledge and production of Television programmes. Even though the old style receptionists were a bit on the direct side they did seem to know everyone in the building. On wandering inside the hallowed halls the number of suits led me to believe that there wasn’t much television production going on either. The empty studios and standing sets this seems to confirm this.
The making of a television programme or film doesn’t take a huge team so in Margaret Thatcher's words "what are they all doing?" She had no idea what went on in a studio and the level of team staff that she criticised hasn’t changed much but the level of what must be called support staff seems huge, but not to have any staff in them begs the question are there any programmes being made here?

Upstairs the corridors were fairly empty too and perhaps the staff were out busy on location but looking into offices there were quite a few behind computers and around lunch time eating their lunch with sandwich in hand again behind a screen.
I went to club and found it was full of keep fitters so  off to the canteen or what is left of it.
I would suggest that the staff should likewise be in the canteen at lunchtime eating properly for their health but above all in a creative society of exchanging ideas and seeing other production people. In the past you would see your hero directors and producers cameramen and designers and here ideas would be exchanged and ideas generated either in the Club or the canteen.
If anyone remembers Kensington House Club or Canteen they will know what I mean and it was where the younger member of staff could be seen and encouraged to be tomorrows creative energy.
Whilst in the building on meeting a number of staff I was struck how they envied my position of having left the BBC as they felt frustrated by the way the managers above them did not seem to value them and that the system was hard to penetrate and cut through to get anything done. Not one that I met worked in Production either and had no idea how to get into making the programmes.
This wasn’t a scientific survey and perhaps not entirely fair but it does illustrate that staff have to know the reason that they are there and that is to be part of making television programmes. In the past you even felt the men on the gate knew they were there to help make the programmes. Only then will the Club be full.
Staff is the key to any organisation and although most management know this they seem not to put it into practice. The enemy is mostly from within for any organisation as also we know from recent past. The keen bright well dressed career managers seem to be on one particular roundabout after another and the staff left behind to pick up the bits.
We can say that times have changed but the vision given to staff and what their core function is is still paramount. I also heard that one department was offering two week contracts at the end of last year. The BBC should be ashamed of itself. How can the BBC Club satisfy a key organisation when loyalty and commitment, creatively or otherwise is missing?
I feel that things may be set to improve but there is much to do. I loved the BBC and still do, just, and above all, what I think it still should stand for. However where is the vision? The staff don't seem to know. The staff are off home as soon as they can get away.