Stratford RSA to close?

The Stratford RSA will potentially close its doors for the final time later this month.
Chief Executive of the RNZRSA (Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association), David Moger, told the Stratford Press this morning, that while he had not been aware that the Stratford branch had decided to call an Extraordinary General Meeting for their financial members to discuss this possibility, "we have been working with them for a number of months now to try and help them understand their trading situation".
Vice president of the Stratford RSA, Kevin Holley, confirms that the executive committee of the club has called the meeting to discuss with members the option of selling the clubrooms.

The Stratford RSA will still exist, and we are already looking into options of places where we can store and exhibit our memorabilia and hold our meetings.

Kevin Holley, Vice President of Stratford RSA

Kevin emphasises that the closure is purely a physical one of the building, "we will still be here to support all our returning service people, their families and the widows".

The building, says Kevin, has a Capital Value of 570,000, making its sale a "good financial choice given the debts we have". He adds that the executive committee "has a duty" to make decisions such as this, "we are doing everything by the book".

David says that the Stratford RSA is not the first RSA to face this "difficult decision," adding that the hospitality business has been struggling for some time, and "while things are recovering, sometimes it is too slow to make the difference". He adds that it is clear that the Stratford branch had been facing "a difficult trading situation and the debts have been increasing".

"It will be a hard meeting for the RSA members to face," says David, talking of the Extraordinary General Meeting which will take place on August 17. "Sometimes though, when other clubs have got to this point, it can become galvanising, with members realising that they don't want to see their club close".

If this was to be the case in Stratford, he adds, "that would be fantastic," David says "there is support available, we have launched some new initiatives since October last year to help with reducing costs and increasing revenue, and we are happy to help".

I encourage the local community and businesses to get behind the RSA, rather than lose the club in their town".

David Moger, CEO of RNZRSA

Losing the RSA in town, would, says David, be particularly sad given the timing. "We are just coming up to this 100 year period and the RSA is very much a part of the history of our service people."

Kevin agrees, adding that the Stratford RSA itself will be celebrating its own 100 years anniversary in 2018, "and we will still be here to do something for it, even if not in these clubrooms".

Kevin encourages all financial members to come to the meeting, "come and hear what we have to say, listen, and be part of the process by voting".

Kevin adds that he is sure "nearly everyone in this town, down the line, has a relative who has served overseas in the past," and has some link therefore with the RSA.

The Stratford RSA is definitely open until August 16, and the Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the future of the RSA is to be held at the clubrooms on August 17.