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A Word from the Committee
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Dear Members, Dear Friends,
At the time of writing these lines the renovation of the Clubhouse is nearing its end and we are awaiting the final TOP approval by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). By the time you read these lines, you will hopefully have experienced the refurbished Clubouse in its full splendor. Thank you for your patience and for putting up with the many inconveniences while the swimming pool, the Jungle Cove and the Clubhouse were undergoing a much needed facelift.
The renovated Cluhouse is a fitting gift for the Club’s 150th anniversary this year. I hope you enjoy the Pergola with its show-kitchen, the refurbished Rifle Lounge, the Arbenz fine-dining restaurant with its new veranda, and the new co-working space and coffee lounge for Members.
Please bear with us during the first couple of months while we experiment with the use of the various areas to gauge Members’ preferences whilst also having to take regulatory building and usage restrictions into account. The Jungle Cove, for example, will have to convert to a self-ordering and self-serving zone due to imposed building restrictions by the authorities. I am, however, confident we will be able to offer all Members a refreshing and unique Club and dining experience in our refurbished restaurants with new and frequently changing menu items.
The current pandemic-related restrictions on the number of diners at one table, the number of participants at events, and the possibility of even holding an event, make planning of celebratory events for the Club’s 150th anniversary almost impossible. At this point in time there is a chance that this uncertainty may stretch well into 2022. We are therefore focusing on smaller, more targeted events. Announcements of such events may also be at shorter notice when it becomes possible to gauge what is permitted and what is not. Hence, we appreciate your understanding and support. It is certainly not what we had in mind two years ago, nor how we wanted to celebrate the Club’s venerable anniversary.
It is also the second year that we are unable to hold big events such as the Swiss National Day and the Oktoberfest. Slowly the somber possibility that we may never be able to hold such big events anymore, in the same format with the same huge crowd, sinks in. This will inevitably create a big hole in the Club’s finances. In fact, the second regulatory closure of our dine-in facilities as well as the inability to organise larger events has already caused deep red numbers in the Club’s finances. We will therefore have to overhaul the Club’s business model, find new revenue sources and trim costs wherever possible without infringing on Members’ Club experience.
One of such cost factors is this magazine. Social media has more and more taken center stage and has made a printed and online magazine redundant. The recent Members’ survey revealed that only very few Members still read and treasure a printed magazine. The committee has therefore decided to reduce the current bi-monthly printed magazine to a bi-annual publication with a June and December edition. The two editions will primarily focus on past Club events and will be a useful tool to showcase the Club to potential new members. Club and event promotions will henceforth be communicated via social media and a newly created Swiss Club WhatsApp channel to which you can subscribe. The current magazine will therefore be the last edition until the next one in December 2021. It is a decision we have not taken lightly, but we trust you appreciate that changing times and Members’ preferences also require an occasional adaption of past traditions.
On 1 August Switzerland celebrates its National Day of 730 years whilst on 9 August Singapore celebrates its 56 years of independence. I wish both nations a Happy National Day with continuous peace and prosperity.
A big Thank You – also on behalf of my committee colleagues – goes to you, our Members, for your unwavering support over the last couple of years. We certainly look forward to seeing you at the Club even more often, enjoying our new facilities.
Rolf Gerber
President
