This is the text of a letter from the chairman of the BBC Club, Andy Baker:

Club Executive General Meeting - November 1
October 23, 2007

Dear Member

Following 18 months of discussions with the BBC Timeout Project, a series of meetings have recently taken place to debate a number of issues directly relating to the Club's provision, services and activities, and the BBC's aspirations to drive and deliver a UK wide Wellbeing Strategy.

At the Club AGM on 24th July we informed our members that representatives of the Chairmen of the UK Clubs and the London Club Chairman had met with the Timeout Project sponsors, Zarin Patel and Stephen Kelly. The meeting was generally hopeful and constructive and we reported that it felt that it indicated the beginnings of a renewed relationship. However, shortly after the AGM, we received a follow-up letter from that meeting which offered a different perspective and, in our view, suggested a step backwards rather than the progress we had anticipated. Since then we have had meetings and exchanges of correspondence to discuss our concerns and seek clarification in certain areas.

I and the other members of your Club Executive Committee are very concerned about the Club's ability to exist and flourish, particularly within the new structure, constraints and relationship being proposed by the BBC. As your Club representatives we feel it is our duty to share with you information concerning recent developments along with the output from the meetings in order to seek your feedback and endorsement of our preferred course of action.

The key issues of concern are as follows:
The BBC has told the Clubs that our existing Club accommodation will continue rent and rate free until 2012 or until the building within which it is located closes. We understand that this will mean that all London Club sites with the exception of Club W1 and possibly White City will be closed by 2013 at latest. There is the possibility of rental or other accommodation charges being levied from that date.

We have also been informed that that there will be no new Club accommodation in future developments such as Salford, nor replacement of facilities when buildings close, e.g. Woodlands. Quote from letter: "to have BBC staff socialising in private venues and social spaces no longer feels appropriate. Consequently we feel it is unlikely that the BBC would fund and sponsor future Club establishments centred around the concept of a private bar".

The BBC wishes to take direct management and responsibility for all current wellbeing services and functions currently provided by the Clubs. This includes the gyms, educational classes and sporting activities. A sum of money would be paid to the Club for this transfer of gym and sporting equipment and infrastructure and the Club would be prohibited from developing any new activities related to wellbeing in the future. This does not extend to existing Club Sections which would remain within the Club structure.

Despite the Club Committee members managing the Clubs as volunteers for the benefit of BBC staff, the BBC will not indemnify these individuals against personal financial liability. The BBC is urging the Clubs across the UK to merge and convert to one company limited by guarantee.

Having carefully considered these points, we believe that collectively they could result in the Club closing down within the next few years. With the potential of a significantly diminishing club social offer due to closure of existing space, the Club may not have a financially viable trading model to support its infrastructure. If rental charges were introduced for remaining sites from 2012, we would need to operate these facilities on a strictly commercial basis which would lead to significant price increases and the closure of Clubs during off peak times.

The removal of our popular wellbeing services and other related activities could mean that the Club's core focus would be the bars and food outlets. Ironically this will further perpetuate the myth that the Clubs are drinking dens and leave us vulnerable to criticism and negative perception.

Your Committee cannot see any benefit in the Club changing its current governance model to that of a company limited by guarantee. There are other responsibilities and liabilities that would face Directors of such a company and we do not foresee volunteers coming forward to take this on. We are already faced with a lack of Committee members as a result of the current personal liability issue under the current model. Furthermore we believe there are added complications should the Clubs become one national Club limited by guarantee. Directors of this new organisation would be fully responsible for Club trading outlets that are geographically distanced and also for some run solely by volunteers. There would also be a requirement to transfer London Club assets into the new National Club and as these have been funded by London Club members, some members may feel very strongly that this should not be allowed to happen.

In order for the Clubs to thrive and to continue to offer the diverse and rich mix of services and activities for its members, we need firm foundations and a genuine partnership with the BBC and we now face a crossroads in the Club's history.

We believe that there are 4 options to consider and we would like to encourage members' debate and feedback to ensure that we adequately represent your views.

Option 1: Accept the BBC's proposal to take on all existing Club Wellbeing related activity, for a transfer fee to be agreed. In the next 12 months focus on developing a new Social model in collaboration with the BBC's aspirations. The new model is likely to be less reliant on existing bar facilities.

Option 2: Reject the BBC's proposal, continuing as we are now and without a collaborative strategy going forward.

Option 3: Consider operating Club services out of external premises thereby retaining our independence but incurring full operational and accommodation costs.

Option 4: The members agree to dissolve the Club and distribute the value of the assets to the qualifying members.

Please be aware that none of the Club Committee members consider option 3 to be a realistic proposition. The Committee is divided in regard to the other 3 options.

Your Views: we would like to encourage members' debate and feedback to ensure that we adequately represent your views. In the first instance please go to our Club website and tell us your thoughts and post any questions you have. You will need to log in using your member log in address and password, then copy and paste this URL into your browser:www.bbcclub.com/egm

You can also access copies of recent correspondence relating to these issues. This further reading should provide additional information and context. You will also need to be logged in to view this information. Copy and paste the following URL into your browser:www.bbcclub.com/correspondence.php

Please note we require all feedback and questions by midnight Sunday 28th October.

Club EGM: We plan to hold a Club EGM on Thursday 1st November, noon until 2pm at Woodlands Sports Centre and strongly urge that you come and join us to debate these issues and options. In the week following the EGM members will be asked to vote for their preferred option. Details of the voting procedure will be made available at the EGM and on our website shortly afterwards.

Andy Baker
Club Chairman

The management's attitude is typical of the "new" BBC - a mixture of puritanism and hard headism (if there is such a word).
"We will look after our employees providing they are non smokers, mainly teetotal and have a trendy leftwing view of the world" should be the new motto outside a revamped BH.