last post WHAT’S HAPPENING?
WHAT’S HAPPENING MAN!! LAST MONTH FRENCHIE COMPLAINED THAT NOTHING WAS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF UK AIRSOFT AND IT SEEMS THAT MAY BE THE CASE FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, AT LEAST AS FAR AS SKIRMISHING IS CONCERNED.
T
he pandemic and its associated lockdowns have had a very real effect north of the border, where I am in Scotland, with the decision by LandWarrior to close their current site, Airsoft Edinburgh, permanently. In a lengthy post on their Facebook page, owner Scott Allen explained that the lack of financial assistance available to airsoft sites and the lengthy periods of inactivity left them with no option but to shut the site as, despite generating no income, it was still costing money in rent and insurance - the cost of which has risen dramatically over the past year. With that decision it is likely that the landowner is going to harvest the timber, meaning that, for this location, there is no going back. LandWarrior are confident that a new site will be found and that operations will resume - given the size and loyalty of their player base I don’t doubt it - but it is telling that many businesses, especially those occupying specialised market areas have found it almost impossible to access any government aid during the past year.
PALPABLE FRUSTRATION
Although he expressed this politely, Scott’s frustration
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was palpable, not helped by his local council acting like some two-bit gumshoe operation and forcing entry into the LandWarrior Core gym to make sure that it wasn’t open. Clearly Midlothian Council cannot tell the difference between a gym owner and his wife making use of their gym, on their own, during lockdown and posting about it on social media and a business operating illegally. Therefore, forcing entry, having berated staff and failing to observe social distancing and the requirement to wear a face covering is apparently a reasonable response. It’s no wonder Scott was feeling slightly miffed! Now, I hear on the grapevine (well, Facebook) mutterings of attempts to create another Airsoft Governing Body. I haven’t yet seen any proposals, rather a slew of cynical comments from those who have literally been there and done that - and I have to include myself amongst that chorus of tragedy. “But why? Isn’t it a good idea to be properly regulated, like other sports?”. Arguably, yes, it is but let’s just take a whistle-stop tour through what that actually means. Standardised energy limits for all sites (possibly). Agreed standards of marshal training and behaviour, probably to include first aid training. It may require setting rates of pay for marshals as the “play
“CLEARLY MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GYM OWNER AND HIS WIFE MAKING USE OF THEIR GYM, ON THEIR OWN, DURING LOCKDOWN AND POSTING ABOUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND A BUSINESS OPERATING ILLEGALLY. THEREFORE, FORCING ENTRY AND FAILING TO OBSERVE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THE REQUIREMENT TO WEAR A FACE COVERING IS APPARENTLY A REASONABLE RESPONSE.” 90
MAY 2021
