Clubhouse Updates!

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

Members will be aware that much of the Clubhouse has been made available to the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) from 24^th July - 12^th August. A small advanced team from the KOC will be in residence from Sunday 22nd July. Most public rooms, including the Britannia Bar, Quarterdeck and Coffee Room are assigned to the KOC during this period. Bar and dining facilities will not be available to members from 24^th July until the Clubhouse re-opens for normal business on Monday 3^rd September. The Quarterdeck, Cumberland Bar and Edinburgh Room have been designated as VIP areas for the KOC and its guests. The Model Room, Library and the western end of the deck will remain available to members and a limited number of cabins have been retained; a few dates are still available until 16^th August after which no bookings are being taken to permit staff leave, deep cleaning and minor refurbishment works. During the period of the Olympics the KOC will be using the Coffee Room as an ‘events' space and members are invited to come and watch the Korean cultural shows, currently planned for 2.00pm - 2.30pm and 4.00 - 4.30pm daily.

Suspension of Car Parking 24^th July - 13^th August

During the KOC occupation of the Clubhouse over the Olympic period the Club's four garage parking spaces will not be available to members as they are included in the hire agreement with the KOC. Additionally, there will be no space on the ramp due to the frequent movement of vehicles and visitors. Members will not be permitted to park their vehicles on any part of the Clubhouse premises from 24^th July - 13^th August. This restriction applies to ALL members, including those who may be resident in the Clubhouse over this period.

CAR PARKING AT 60 KNIGHTSBRIDGE

The tenancy agreements with the Head Lessee and Sixty Knightsbridge Limited provide for the Club to have permanent use of four car parking spaces in the garage. After 6.30pm until 8.00am members may also avail themselves of any spare spaces in the garage that are occupied during the day by vehicles belonging to the Embassy of the State of Kuwait. The spaces on the forecourt and ramp are unallocated, except for no 22 on the right hand side of the ramp just outside the garage. Between 8.00am and 6.30pm the forecourt and ramp spaces may only be used for a maximum of two hours by both RTYC members and the Embassy staff. Only members who are resident in the Clubhouse or actually present in the Clubhouse on business may leave vehicles unattended on the premises. Space on the forecourt is at a premium and parked vehicles can cause difficulties for delivery vehicles and taxis. The rules have been promulgated previously but some members are choosing to ignore them by parking on the ramp and forecourt for longer than two hours or parking their vehicles and leaving them unattended whilst away from the premises without informing reception. Such inconsiderate behaviour causes the Club's staff significant difficulties, particularly when dealing with the Embassy staff that we also have to encourage to obey the provisions of the leases. In future, persistent offenders will receive one written warning to adhere to the parking regulations; a further offence after a written warning will cause parking privileges to be withdrawn.

AVAILABILITY OF THE NOMINATION BOOK

The Nomination Book for members to propose/second Flag Officers and members of General Committee is made available from 1^st August - 14^th September annually, usually on the Quarterdeck.  In view of the presence of the Korean Olympic Committee until 12^th August, this year the book will be available in the Secretary's office from 1^st - 12^th August inclusive and will be placed on the quarterdeck from 13^th August - 14^th September.

BRITANNIA DECK - RULES FOR SMOKING & MOBILE DEVICES

The rules for the deck form part of the House Bye-Laws. Following some comments received about smoke drifting into the Britannia Bar, and unacceptable annoyance caused by people using mobile telephones unreasonably in proximity to others and those in the TV Room and Bar, for the avoidance of doubt the policy on such matters is repeated below. Please observe the rules which will be reviewed quarterly by the Knightsbridge and General Committees.

Smoking

Smoking is permitted only on the western and eastern extremities of the deck which will be clearly marked as smoking areas. Members are to use the western area of the deck as their smoking area when function guests are using the central and eastern end of the deck. Functions guests will be required to use the eastern end of the deck for smoking. In any event, smoking is not permitted adjacent (within 3 metres) to open doors. Ash trays/bins must be used at all times and butt ends carefully disposed of and not dropped onto the deck nor discarded onto the lawn.   

Conduct of Business & Mobile/Electronic Devices

The purose of the Britannia Deck is to provide an open air space where members and guests may socialise and relax in a more informal atmosphere. The deck may therefore not be used for the overt conduct of business, other than for informal discussions during breaks between booked meetings, and the deck tables and chairs are only to be used by members in a social context.  

The Club's extant policy is that mobile and/or electronic devices may only be used in the Model Room or privately hired public rooms: they may not be used in any general public area.  The enjoyment of the Clubhouse facilities is the right, and indeed expectation, of all members and visitors. In establishing a policy for the use of mobile/electronic devices on the deck, the main consideration must be to avoid nuisance or disturbance to other users of the deck.  Mobile devices may be used in ‘silent', read-only mode to make and receive texts, emails and read documents.Other users of the deck are not to be disturbed by ring tones, ‘bleeping' when keys are pressed or by extended mobile telephone conversations: the making or receiving of mobile telephone calls is thus not permitted in the presence of other users, other than to acknowledge a call before moving to approved areas of the Clubhouse where the use of mobile phones is permitted. iPads and other such PDA devices may be used provided they are operated in silent mode. Offenders will be asked to retire to the Model Room.    

DRESS CODE ON THE DECK AND IN THE BRITANNIA BAR

A review of the Club's Dress Code has been undertaken in considering what may be appropriate for the proposed Britannia Deck.A ‘smart casual' dress code has been appropriate for the ground floor public spaces for nearly three years now, unless a dress code has been promulgated for specific functions. Smart casual is defined as collared shirt, clean slacks in good repair and appropriate footwear. For the avoidance of doubt jeans, T shirts and any trainer style shoe are not allowed and the minimum standard of acceptable dress is polo shirt, chinos and clean deck shoes in good repair. Ladies are to conform to the spirit of this code. Clean jeans in good repair (not holed or frayed) may be worn on Fridays after 4pm and on Saturdays and Sundays. Any style of clothing that is likely to cause offence or not in keeping with the spirit of this ‘smart casual' dress code is not acceptable and offenders will be asked to change or leave the premises.