Letter: Angling for the right to reply
Correspondent • Published 2 Sep 2010 09:30
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I am writing to reply to the ‘River of gold’ article on the front page of The Woodley & Earley Chronicle (August 12) in which you report that ‘privatised fishing on the River Loddon is turning the sport into an exclusive club that only rich anglers can afford’.
Wokingham Borough Council recently tendered out a number of their waters in an open tender, that had previously been ‘unmanaged fisheries’ due to the lack of resources to manage these waters. Southlake Angling Society, a voluntary community fishing club based in Woodley, were successful in winning the tender for Riverside Park, Earley. This venue was added to our annual permit as of June 16 this year.
Our bailiffs have been politely informing the public that fishing rights were to transfer to Southlake Angling Society. Mr Sadler was informed of the forthcoming changes when he andhis group had travelled up from Caterham in Surrey to fish and camp for a weekend.
When informed of the costs to join our club, Mr Sadler protested fishing was no longer free on the river. It was pointed out that membership included fishing our two other venues in Hurst and at Southlake.
Mr Sadler was also told that the club are considering the introduction of a Riverside Park permit only. He was informed Southlake Angling Society winning the rights to Riverside Park would keep the fishing in the community and at an affordable cost of less than £2.50 per week for an adult member. The alternative could have been that Riverside Park became a syndicate that could have cost up to £400 per year for membership.
Our club has always been affordable and will always remain so. We are confident that our existing members and potential members will enjoy this wonderful addition to our waters.
Doug Caiger
Secretary Southlake Angling Society
This letter appeared in Reading Chronicle 09 Sep 10
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