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A6 CTC to close?


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There are strong rumours that A6 clay target club in Bolton is to close after 40 years in early September. :no:

Apparently the owners lease the site from a farmer who now wants to put dairy cattle on the field and wants the shooting to stop.

This is a real shame as the owners have put a lot of effort ito the club over the years and it has a large and loyal following.

 

Does anyone know any more?

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I shoot at Bolton gun club, who use the A6 ground every other Sunday. According to them the land hasn't even been sold yet and they are yet to receive any sort of eviction notice. Which apparently needs to be served with 6 months notice so i'd expect Bolton will be shooting there for the foreseeable future.

 

Not sure why A6 are closing so soon? Any displaced A6's should come down to Bolton, its a good crowd and cheap clays. £3.50 for 25 members and £4.50 non-members.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, it closed yesterday after the final shoot, won by the legend Paul Chaplow no less.

 

To see the manager completely choke up as he thanked his staff was quite moving.

 

The ladies who ran the canteen will be missed, they were very charming, friendly and it's a shame for them too. I'll miss them all.

 

I overheard a few of the old timers talking, and more than a few said they would now call it a day with shooting.

 

They were despondent and some are visibly frail and I wonder how long they would have had with the social-life zest the A6 offered them a day or two each week.

 

That's the real cost of this. I hope the cows grazing that poxy field, or perhaps the real reason for this, make it worth it.

 

 

30xd34g.jpg

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-A big shame, although not a big trap fine i payed a few visits and always found everyone very friendly. I'm not sure the 'old timers' will travel to fauxdegla though! RIP A6..

 

But what happens to Bolton Gun Club who shoot on the same site, presumably its RIP BGC as well?

 

 

I heard Bolton will keep shooting until kicked out, which (again hearsay) means they can keep going until around December.

 

After some reflection, I'm not bothering travelling to the next nearest decent Trap clubs, what with the costs of diesel now it'll cause tensions at home, so my gun will be sold soon as I get it round to the gunsmith I bought it from.

 

Perhaps I'll take up knitting.

 

Greedy damned 'farmer'.

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I did all my lessons at A6 I loved it and the way they welcomed me to the sport is the reason I carried on, I was only looking at the site today thinking of getting up there this weekend. But I guess that won't be happening now.

 

Did they not own the equipment, could they not relocate. A pain I know but they were a great bunch.

 

David

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Well, it closed yesterday after the final shoot, won by the legend Paul Chaplow no less.

 

To see the manager completely choke up as he thanked his staff was quite moving.

 

The ladies who ran the canteen will be missed, they were very charming, friendly and it's a shame for them too. I'll miss them all.

 

I overheard a few of the old timers talking, and more than a few said they would now call it a day with shooting.

 

They were despondent and some are visibly frail and I wonder how long they would have had with the social-life zest the A6 offered them a day or two each week.

 

That's the real cost of this. I hope the cows grazing that poxy field, or perhaps the real reason for this, make it worth it.

 

 

30xd34g.jpg

 

Looks like Westhoughton will be getting a new housing estate soon.....

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  • 3 weeks later...

An up-to-date look at the largely demolished A6 Clay Target grounds.

 

 

2po1jfa.jpg

Looking into the desolate carpark.

 

 

2aalgk3.jpg

The floor area of the clubhouse, once alive with banter, pisstakes and cardiac cases eating bacon butties when they perhaps shouldn't.

Good times.

So quiet, so sad.

 

 

2u8fgk3.jpg

One of the once-covered stands. Now bare and dead.

 

 

2myw6jp.jpg

A clay-pigeon's look back at the UT bunker. All gone. (now at Worsley?)

 

 

fyq0zs.jpg

To the left is the precious field that the new land owner "wanted his cows to graze on".

Sure you did.

What can I say, it's been deeply ploughed over so nobody is going to reclaim the hundreds of tonnes of shot in this field, including you, farmer boy.

 

 

2ly4ns3.jpg

I mean, would YOU 'graze your cows' on this?

Edited by Chokemeister
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Chokemeister - thanks for the photos.

 

They capture the mood and there is a genuine touch of sadness about the photos. It is hard to look at the place without seeing a fair number of cars and people about.

 

End of an era. Any idea what is happening to Bolton Gun Club?

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Very sad times for all concerned.

 

After seeing the photo's though surely someone needs to report this to environmental health !

If the farmer is planning to graze cows on the land now, it needs to be cleaned up - not just ploughed over.

Maybe with a large clean up bill he will then regret his decision forcing the closure of the A6 club.

 

If nothing else it will give him some extra paperwork to sort.

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Very sad times for all concerned.

 

After seeing the photo's though surely someone needs to report this to environmental health !

If the farmer is planning to graze cows on the land now, it needs to be cleaned up - not just ploughed over.

Maybe with a large clean up bill he will then regret his decision forcing the closure of the A6 club.

 

If nothing else it will give him some extra paperwork to sort.

 

 

Yes indeed, I think you have a valid point there. The nature of shooting ranges, are that it's in everyone's best interest they remain as shooting ranges.

 

And to think, the new land owner gave up over 5 grand a year easy rent for a small patch of grass. The grazing isn't worth a fraction of that, crazy.

 

There'll be no houses (imho), as the world economies are in a once-in-a-generation depression, this is no mere recession.

 

Gordon, I heard Bolton is 'running its notice' into December, after that, I haven't heard anything.

 

I have heard a pal say, he himself heard there is intent on reopening.

 

Personally, I feel this is Chinese Whispers, nothing more, but I would hope....

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