Topic ID 3160
As has been quite rightly pointed out, Warren Peace's welcome back to Hertford was being overtakenn by disussion about the Hertford Club. So, in attempt to correct a couple of points.....I have been going to the Hertfortd club since 2001 and a member since 2002. In all that time there has never been a picture of either Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher over the main fireplace, but there has always been a picture of the Queen. The closed fireplace has two haraldic shields, and I would hope that Lemonjelly will be able to throw light on whose families they belong to. As for being associated with the Tories, the club itself is apolitical, the membership is wide and varied: local businessmen, tradesmen, teachers, doctors,insurance brokers, estate agents, nurses, care workers, builders, shop workers, retired people etc. Whatever the mix of politics of the people who use the place, it is still a pleasure to be able to eat excellent food and drink in pleasant surroundings... and all this for about 70p per week! [;)]
Reply ID 45619
Well bloomin' said! What a great place.
Reply ID 45620
It is starting to sound more enticing, never thought I'd say that. And I suspect with the varied members a great source of Networking another thing I didn't think I'd say!) Oh well, never mind.
Reply ID 45632
quote:I even got talking to a redundant miner in The Club during a open day 3 years ago, he was down here on holiday with his family from up the North Country. He was happy that the Club did not ask to see his C.I.U. membership card because he did not have it with him also his wife enjoyed the country wines on offer in the garden.
As for being associated with the Tories, the club itself is apolitical, the membership is wide and varied: local businessmen, tradesmen, teachers, doctors,insurance brokers, estate agents, nurses, care workers, builders, shop workers, retired people etc.
Reply ID 45636
It does sound like something for everyone. Are kids allowed in the Garden, the fact that mine is the age you would not want to be seen out with an 'oldie' It is just a question quite often asked - where can you take the kids.
Reply ID 45645
They are fairly comprehensive with who they allow to become members, after all they even let me join [:)] (I thought it only fair to put some money back into the club after having gone to several meals there as a guest.) It did take a while to overcome the Groucho Marx maxim of not wanting to belong to any club that would actually have me as a member :-)
Reply ID 45646
How do you go about joining the Hertford Club? and whereabouts is it?
Reply ID 45650
quote:Walk down Bull Plain from the Town towards river. Just before the bridge on your left and you have found it. I think I saw on the notice board that you can pop in and get a membership form. I'm sure there are many club members on this forum that could shed more light.
Originally posted by Bubbaoshea
How do you go about joining the Hertford Club? and whereabouts is it?
Reply ID 45653
I might pop along at the weekend and check it out.
Reply ID 45655
quote:I think you have to be introduced by an existing member or some such nonsense. Then you have to have 2 people that are already members say you are of good character etc etc - then you still run the risk of being black balled!!![:D]
Originally posted by Bubbaoshea
How do you go about joining the Hertford Club? and whereabouts is it?
Reply ID 45656
That's ok I know a member who is a Stonemason, 1 of many tradesmen who use the club.
Reply ID 45657
quote:You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page [8]
Originally posted by Tigger
It does sound like something for everyone. Are kids allowed in the Garden, the fact that mine is the age you would not want to be seen out with an 'oldie' It is just a question quite often asked - where can you take the kids.
Reply ID 45659
quote:Nonsense! Just pop in and complete an application form. It's a formality. They hold a little meeting with you to go over club rules and you give them a cheque. Simple.
Originally posted by Kitty Katquote:I think you have to be introduced by an existing member or some such nonsense. Then you have to have 2 people that are already members say you are of good character etc etc - then you still run the risk of being black balled!!![:D]
Originally posted by Bubbaoshea
How do you go about joining the Hertford Club? and whereabouts is it?
Reply ID 45660
Can I pay them cash, How much is a joint Husband & wife membership & are children allowed?
Reply ID 45663
From some of the Hertford Club member' comments here, it appears that it has changed since my last visit. Presumably the club rules (which used to be posted to the left of the bar) have also been modified to be less offensive. I might give it another chance.
Reply ID 45666
quote:Wasn't this post all about the Hertford Club NOT being a Conservative Club, or am I missing the point? Anyway, Children are welcomed at the club, by the way, provided of course they are well behaved. The garden is a smashing place in the summer - a great place to sit and read the papers over a pint (£2.35 for all guest ales!). You may have to move inside near the inglenook fire during the winter though!
Originally posted by Dell Boyquote:You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page [8]
Originally posted by Tigger
It does sound like something for everyone. Are kids allowed in the Garden, the fact that mine is the age you would not want to be seen out with an 'oldie' It is just a question quite often asked - where can you take the kids.
Reply ID 45669
quote:The HC always was affiliated, but not a Conservative Club as such. It used to be a joke around these parts that it's constitution was too right-wing to be accepted into any polital party.[:D]
Originally posted by David Yatesquote:Wasn't this post all about the Hertford Club NOT being a Conservative Club, or am I missing the point? Anyway, Children are welcomed at the club, by the way, provided of course they are well behaved. The garden is a smashing place in the summer - a great place to sit and read the papers over a pint (£2.35 for all guest ales!). You may have to move inside near the inglenook fire during the winter though!
Originally posted by Dell Boyquote:You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page [8]
Originally posted by Tigger
It does sound like something for everyone. Are kids allowed in the Garden, the fact that mine is the age you would not want to be seen out with an 'oldie' It is just a question quite often asked - where can you take the kids.
Reply ID 45670
Thank you, my children are well behaved so that's ok could you answer my 2 other questions please?
Reply ID 45675
quote:I have been a member for less than a year and can highly recommend the food but be warned... you won't finish your dessert. I find the building (Lombard House) fascinating and have done a small amount of research on it. The two coats of arms that Fish Wife refers to are of the Tooke and Tichbourne families. William Tooke of Hertford married Mary Tichbourne of Roydon, Essex in the 16th century. They both died around 1611/12 and are buried in Essendon churchyard. Both the coats of arms in the Hertford Club are painted red and gold but these colours are wrong and plans are afoot to have them repainted in the correct colour scheme. The presence of these coats of arms doesn't necessarily indicate a connection between Lombard House and the Tooke family. I'm not sure where they have come from but the very ornate fireplace surround on which they are mounted is actually made up of pieces of carved oak salvaged from a medieval church, possibly (if not probably) the old All Saints church that burnt down in 1891, so the shileds may also have come from there.
Originally posted by Fish Wife
The closed fireplace has two haraldic shields, and I would hope that Lemonjelly will be able to throw light on whose families they belong to.
Reply ID 45683
I'm sure cash will be ok and I think annual membership is about £70 for a couple - I'm not sure how much the joining fee is as I have been a member for a few years. Lemonjelly....how much was it?
Reply ID 45684
Can't remember offhand, but I'll go through my records tonight and find out.
Reply ID 45688
From a conversation I had with an ex Counuty Council planning officer several months ago, we are lucky that the club building still stands. He claims that there were developer plans to include it and the museum in the Bircheley Green development, but these plans were thankfully fought off (I think he said Hertford Heritage were closely involved in that fight).
Reply ID 45689
quote:Mr Formile - leave Tristam alone [;)]
Originally posted by Dell Boyquote:You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page [8]
Originally posted by Tigger
It does sound like something for everyone. Are kids allowed in the Garden, the fact that mine is the age you would not want to be seen out with an 'oldie' It is just a question quite often asked - where can you take the kids.
Reply ID 45690
quote:Scarry thought. Does anyone know which building Took House is in Hertford. I know I walk past it all the time and it's driving me madder than I normally am trying to think where it is. Bull Plain is all I can think of.
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
From a conversation I had with an ex Counuty Council planning officer several months ago, we are lucky that the club building still stands. He claims that there were developer plans to include it and the museum in the Bircheley Green development, but these plans were thankfully fought off (I think he said Hertford Heritage were closely involved in that fight).
Reply ID 45692
quote:Tigger It's the CAB place (as in Citizen's Advise Bureau, not transport home after a good night out) in Bull Plain
Scarry thought. Does anyone know which building Took House is in Hertford. I know I walk past it all the time and it's driving me madder than I normally am trying to think where it is. Bull Plain is all I can think of.
Reply ID 45696
"You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page" ........and I was getting quite interested in joining until I read this!
Reply ID 45697
quote:I think he was trying to be funny. It didn't work! (obviously) For the final time - The Hertford Club is NOT A CONSERVATIVE CLUB. Please don't let a flippant comment from a non-member put you off finding out more.
Originally posted by Trisha
"You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page" ........and I was getting quite interested in joining until I read this!
Reply ID 45698
Does the Hertford Club have a website?
Reply ID 45699
quote:They have only recently started to send out memo's and such like by e-mail, I think a website is a bit of a way off!
Originally posted by Bubbaoshea
Does the Hertford Club have a website?
Reply ID 45700
There was a web site for a short while at http://www.thehertfordclub.co.nr/ but it looks as if that URL has been allowed to laspe (No idea where .nr is). Anyway, even when it was live it wasn't updated.
Reply ID 45701
quote:I remember that website! [:D] .nr is the Internet country code top-level domain for Nauru http://www.thehertfordclub.co.nr/
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
There was a web site for a short while at http://www.thehertfordclub.co.nr/ but it looks as if that URL has been allowed to laspe (No idea where .nr is). Anyway, even when it was live it wasn't updated.
Reply ID 45702
quote:Correct. But unless its constitution has changed since I went to an open evening there (which is possible, it was a while ago - Medieval Night in fact), the Hertford Club is 'affiliated to' the Conservative party.
Originally posted by David Yates For the final time - The Hertford Club is NOT A CONSERVATIVE CLUB.
Reply ID 45703
Thanks Lemonjelly, I knew you would have the goods on the coats of arms. With regards to the Club's affiliation....would it be more attractive if it was affiliated to the Labour Party, Lib Dems, Communists, Green Party or Save the Plankton etc? Ultimately does it really matter? The Club has no political agenda, the membership is varied as previously mentioned. In fact there is probably more political discussion and argument taking place in every other pub in town. It remains a pleasant place to eat and drink. [:)]
Reply ID 45705
As promised earlier, here are the prices (for this year... don't know if they go up next year) One off joining fee: Single £50 Joint/Double £65 Annual Subscription: Single £45 Joint/Double £75
Reply ID 45708
quote:Many now like to know what their expenditure supports, either in reality or spirit. That's not such a bad thing. An affiliation to a political party is a fairly clear statement.
Originally posted by Fish Wife
Thanks Lemonjelly, I knew you would have the goods on the coats of arms. With regards to the Club's affiliation....would it be more attractive if it was affiliated to the Labour Party, Lib Dems, Communists, Green Party or Save the Plankton etc? Ultimately does it really matter? The Club has no political agenda, the membership is varied as previously mentioned. In fact there is probably more political discussion and argument taking place in every other pub in town. It remains a pleasant place to eat and drink. [:)]
Reply ID 45709
quote:Well, I'm sure a majority would say so, yes (all of the parties have minority support). Surely better to have no affiliation?
Originally posted by Fish Wife
With regards to the Club's affiliation....would it be more attractive if it was affiliated to the Labour Party, Lib Dems, Communists, Green Party or Save the Plankton etc?
quote:Yes, it does! What does this affiliation involve? Does it mean that whilst I am having a pleasant drink I am adding, in any way, to Conservative Party coffers? I suspect this may be a turn off for a number of people!
Ultimately does it really matter?
Reply ID 45711
I stand to be corrected, but I think the affiliation is with respect to Conservative Clubs rather than the Conservative party as such i.e. members of Conservative Clubs can use club facilities (in a similar manner to affiliations between Working Men's' Clubs and some other institutions). As far as I know there is no direct support of the Conservative Party.
Reply ID 45712
quote:I'm not sure that it matters whether the support is financial or an implied support of principles, when considering patronage. For example, by attending Church, you imply a support for organised religion, whether or not you place anything in the collection plate. Each to their own. From what I have heard here, the HC has significantly modernised it's public image. It is up to the individual to decide whether that is now just a nice place to eat or still represents an obsolete set of values. As far as it's networking value is concerned, it depends how "local" your business is and how reliant you want to be on fitting in socially.
Originally posted by newcomerquote:Well, I'm sure a majority would say so, yes (all of the parties have minority support). Surely better to have no affiliation?
Originally posted by Fish Wife
With regards to the Club's affiliation....would it be more attractive if it was affiliated to the Labour Party, Lib Dems, Communists, Green Party or Save the Plankton etc?quote:Yes, it does! What does this affiliation involve? Does it mean that whilst I am having a pleasant drink I am adding, in any way, to Conservative Party coffers? I suspect this may be a turn off for a number of people!
Ultimately does it really matter?
Reply ID 45714
quote:From The Association of Conservative Clubs website: (http://www.toryclubs.co.uk) "The Association of Conservative Clubs was formed in 1894, and in its objects are to assist and encourage the formation of Clubs, to support the principles and aims of the Conservative Party, and to assist in the management of Conservative Clubs, There are over 1,100 Conservative Clubs spread widely over the Country affiliated to the A.C.C." "...these Clubs all have one thing in common, they are members of the A.C.C., and share similar objects in promoting Conservatism and providing social and sporting venues for their members." "...they are important financial contributors to the Party, both locally and nationally." So, in what way exactly is The Hertford Club NOT a Conservative Club?
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
I stand to be corrected, but I think the affiliation is with respect to Conservative Clubs rather than the Conservative party as such i.e. members of Conservative Clubs can use club facilities (in a similar manner to affiliations between Working Men's' Clubs and some other institutions). As far as I know there is no direct support of the Conservative Party.
Reply ID 45717
Tell you what. To settle this once and for all I'll pop in at lunch time and get a copy of the constitution of the club. I am sure that no financial contribution is made by The Hertford Club to the Conservatives, but if I am wrong I will admit it. What is certain is that the Hertford club does not actively support Conservatism. When in the Club you could be in any well run hotel or club. There are no 'support the tories' meetings or 'smash the union' lunches. It's just a nice place to eat and drink. More later anyway.
Reply ID 45718
Whilst Googling the Hertford Club, I found a link to this site http://www.peacockshock.com/archives/cat_round_town.html It has some really nice 'photos and general articles about Hertford.
Reply ID 45723
quote:I got totally into the site. Back to Business, I am assuming that whilst collecting form you can have a drink, meal and noisy around to get a feel and make your decision. Any members, can you let me know. Thanks.
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
Whilst Googling the Hertford Club, I found a link to this site http://www.peacockshock.com/archives/cat_round_town.html It has some really nice 'photos and general articles about Hertford.
Reply ID 45727
Right. I have a copy of the balance sheet and no contribution is made to The Conservative Party as far as I can see. The affiliation to the Conservative Party club means that Conservative Club Members from anywhere are allowed to use The Hertford Club. There is a notice to this effect.
Reply ID 45732
quote:Right glad that's sorted out now, thank you. [:D]
Originally posted by David Yatesquote:I think he was trying to be funny. It didn't work! (obviously) For the final time - The Hertford Club is NOT A CONSERVATIVE CLUB. Please don't let a flippant comment from a non-member put you off finding out more.
Originally posted by Trisha
"You can sit your children down at a table in the corner of the room where they can be seen & give them this to read. http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=our.vision.page" ........and I was getting quite interested in joining until I read this!
Reply ID 45734
quote:That's a shame, might have joined otherwise [:)]
Originally posted by David Yates
Right. I have a copy of the balance sheet and no contribution is made to The Conservative Party as far as I can see.
Reply ID 45736
quote:If I were to open a club which admitted members or Buddists only, I would clearly be giving the message that I was pro-Buddist in my aims, regardless of the rules of membership, or what I called the club. There would be a clear inferrence, even without any other statement, contribution or activity. The HC used to forbid the holding or expressing of socialist views in it's constitution, as clearly posted in the bar for many years. This wording may have changed or been ommitted from it's current constitution, but it's affiliation to one political organisation's clubs continues. To many that will not matter, others may welcome it. Has the Hertford Club moved on, or is it just time it came out of the closet?[:D]
Originally posted by David Yates
Tell you what. To settle this once and for all I'll pop in at lunch time and get a copy of the constitution of the club. I am sure that no financial contribution is made by The Hertford Club to the Conservatives, but if I am wrong I will admit it. What is certain is that the Hertford club does not actively support Conservatism. When in the Club you could be in any well run hotel or club. There are no 'support the tories' meetings or 'smash the union' lunches. It's just a nice place to eat and drink. More later anyway.
Reply ID 45821
So, in attempt to correct a couple of points.....I have been going to the Hertfortd club since 2001 and a member since 2002. In all that time there has never been a picture of either Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher over the main fireplace, but there has always been a picture of the Queen. I beg to differ but I'm sure there was a picture of Maggie Thatcher displayed in the Hertford Club during 1 of my visits there in 1999. Perhaps you could check that with 1 of the older member's of the club pre 2000, don't want to argue on the fact, it made no difference to me when I used to frequent the club in 1999-2000 just want to know if my memory is correct or not. Thank you.
Reply ID 45825
That was 8 years ago! They could have taken it down between your visit and 2001. My peace and tranaquillity area is currently my Lounge, this may change to my Bedoom which will involve the movement of the Budda Picture and other calming icons. It does not mean it has left the premises. I also used to have a picture of my Grandmother but everyone, especially kids thought it was scarry so she has now been relegated to another location in the House, not that odd. Maybe Maggie was inadvertantly used as a dart board, stolen, eaten or whisked away by a spirit. So bloody what? The Hertford Club is changing and there to be enjoyed, not surveyed for moving of discarded articles.
Reply ID 45827
Exactly Tigger but I just want to know if my memory is correct or not, read the post correctly again it might make more sense now.
Reply ID 45830
quote:Sorry Dell Boy - I think I may know an old foggy that may be able to assist in the quest. If I see the Gentleman in the Week, I will indeed pose the question.
Originally posted by Dell Boy
Exactly Tigger but I just want to know if my memory is correct or not, read the post correctly again it might make more sense now.
Reply ID 45867
Right - have checked with husband and he confirms that a signed picture of Maggie hung above the bar for many a year and the picture of Winston Churchill is still hanging, but no longer above the fire. He has been going there since 1980 [:)]
Reply ID 45877
Hopefully the great mystery of The Hertford Club has now been solved. Don't have to visit the old folk now [:D]
Reply ID 46126
Question is, can you get a decent pint there, y'know the stuff worth waitin' for? And is the craic good too? [:D]
Reply ID 46278
I have been told there is a hall upstairs - does anyone know how many people it would hold?
Reply ID 46285
quote:I've been at several Christmas dinner in the upstairs room in past years. There were approx 25 of us sitting down with no problem. So if you were standing I would expect you could easily get 50 or so people in there
Originally posted by KarenS
I have been told there is a hall upstairs - does anyone know how many people it would hold?
Reply ID 46286
Mmmmmm little bit smaller than I was hoping - but thanks anyway!