Hello and a very warm welcome to the new Holm Bay Bar/ Hamilton Room at East Down Yacht Club EDYC.
I’d like to start by giving you a short history lesson. Cast your minds away back to the year 1990. It was the year that – The first gulf war started, A mars bar cost 27p, The first in car sat nav was launched, and the first year the Simpsons appeared on tv
At East Down Yacht Club we were playing host to a film crew who wanted to use Island Taggart as a location for their production of the film – A December Bride.
East Down being the friendly club it is would ferry the crew and cast out to the island on a daily basis. When production finished and as a thankyou they agreed to refurbish the Holm Bay Bar
Fast forward some 30 plus years and the room was looking tired and worn. Faded and torn seats, a wood burner stove that had seen better days, a trendy Dado rail above bright red wallpaper.
Following discussions at Executive meetings it was agreed to bite the bullet and refurbish the room.
Hana kindly agreed to draw up plans. These were approved by Exec and posted on the club window for comment.
A budget was agreed and Graham volunteered to become the project leader. At the end of last years sailing season a small team, Graham, Alan, Peter, Hana and myself met on Saturdays to discuss the requirements with Peter keeping a tight rein on the budget. Once requirements were agreed the room was closed for members and the hard physical work began.
All credit goes to Graham and Alan who, to the detrement of working on their own boats worked tirelessly to prepare the room for the refurb.
Many a morning you would have found the two of them up here stripping…..
the old fixtures and fittings.
That done, Graham with the help of Alan managed the various contractors to pull the whole project together, on time and on budget and as you can see the results are fantastic.
Could you put your hands together please to thank Graham, Alan, Hana and Peter for all their hard work.
I asked Graham, as he had done such a good job, would he consider being project manager for the next refurbishment of this room in 30 years time but he said he would need to check his diary.
So without further ado I would like to declare the Holm Bay Bar/ Hamilton Room open.
EDYC Commodore 27 April 24
