Last chance to enjoy sailing at King's Mill reservoir as Sutton club launches final season

The Ashfield Sailing Club has been running for 63 years on King’s Mill Reservoir but the area is soon to be taken over by Ashfield District Council amid redevelopment and carpark plans.

The closure, set for September, follows years of legal wrangling to save the club which was started by canoeing and sailing enthusiasts back in 1959.

At its height, the popular club which leased the reservoir site, known as Mill Waters, had hundred of members.

Resigned to its closure, described as a “sad loss” for the community and sailing fraternity, club secretary John Butler said the final season activities were still underway, and its annual public open day offering visitors the chance to try sailing, was planned for Sunday, May 8.

“The closure of the club is a sad loss for me, and other sailing enthusiasts, but also for the local community who were able to enjoy dingy sailing on their doorstep. It now means people will have to travel much further afield to pursue the interest,” John said.

"Unfortunately, the council did not want us to renew our lease, they wanted the site to generate more revenue, we had a lengthy legal battle to save the club but didn’t win.

"We have been accused of being an elitist sport, but we used to offer a family membership for £100, for two adults and two children, using our boats for a year, a lot of activity for not a lot.

"We’ve always been an open and welcoming club to the community that used the reservoir.

“We have to be pragmatic about winding the club up now. We’ve about 40 or 50 boats to move, outboards and equipment to sell off. We are planning all sorts of activities to mark our last season, our annual open day which attracts lot of people is still going ahead.”During the open day, the club will take visitors for trips around the reservoir in one of the club’s larger sailing dinghies and there will be an opportunity to try sailing, see its fleet of boats and ask members’ questions

Councillor Matthew Relf, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning said: “Ashfield District Council is committed to having great facilities that are accessible for as many residents as possible to enjoy. Through the Towns Fund we saw an opportunity to further improve facilities at the reservoir so that many more people in the local area would be able to get out on the reservoir and enjoy water sports.

“These plans involve a new building that will house water sports providers as well as new catering facilities. There will also be additional car parking areas as the site is already so popular the current car parks are regularly full. The club would be very welcome as one of the water sports providers on the site and so we are sad that they chose the route they did as it is absolutely untrue that the council would not renew their lease.”