Andrei Spence • Club News
Club News
Club Matters
Club steps into 2022 positively
The last quarter was busy for the Club with very important meetings of the F&GP Committee in mid-October to consider budget proposals, which were passed to the General Committee for ratification in November. Whilst acknowledging the likely uncertainty in 2022 the General Committee was content with the partially cautious approach and accepted the budget.
It was all set to be a pretty stellar last quarter of the year for the Club, with very strong occupancy rates and vibrant figures for food and beverage in the Restaurant and Conference & Banqueting writes Club Secretary & Chief Executive Andrei Spence.
The General Committee also bade farewell to Andrew Brown who completed his time on Committee and also to Honorary Treasurer Richard Maunder after five years in the role. We thank both for their service to the Club over many years and wish them well for the future.
There was a strong return of those businesses who hold their meetings at the Club, and a surge in personal/family/social gatherings in our function rooms. With increasing numbers fully vaccinated and ‘boosted’, many members said they felt safe and needed to get back to living a normal life. It was particularly gratifying to learn that despite the pressures around manpower shortages, there had been no slipping of standards in rooms, service and food throughout the Club, even though some services did have to be curtailed at some times in the week. Sadly, omicron, plus a burst hot water pipe, rather took the shine off the final few weeks of the year.
But, importantly, the Club continues to provide a level of service every day and we have not yet resorted to the mantra of many clubs by closing down for a couple of days a week. As a members club, Virginia and I have been totally against this approach, and we have done all we can to avoid it. But this has only been possible as a result of the tremendous work and flexibility of the whole team. We are now working closely with Club Chairman John Lee to provide a full, diverse and interesting education and events programme in 2022, with a focus on our Sovereign Queen and Patron’s Platinum Anniversary of Accession as our focal point. As ever, I look forward to welcoming many more of you back to the Club in 2022. We will continue to provide service and food of the highest quality as well as a safe haven from the bustle of the city. I hope, for all of us, that 2022 provides the backdrop to be able to carry out the most basic of human freedoms within a sensible framework.
UNDER 30s Late October saw the Under 30s hold their Autumn Dinner at the Club which was well attended and enjoyed by all. A further event in November attracted even greater numbers, ending in a trip to the hot spots of London afterwards! The Under 30s went on to conduct
04 • The Farmers Club Winter 2022
their AGM the following day, which voted in Alice Hind and Emily Pile as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. There was also debate and agreement regarding the trial for six months of the amalgamation of the Under 30s/Under 35s sections.
The Trustees and directors of The Farmers Club Lease Company conducted a financial review with our investment managers and conducted an entity risk review to ensure the spread of investments and returns being achieved were still relevant, and matching the expectations of the Trustees. Gratifyingly, they were, on all counts, and the portfolio continues to do well across a number of indices and share and trust holdings.
