To think archery has no place on a public playing field?

[IroningThrone]

I live in a village with a large public sports/playing field - it has grass tennis courts, football pitches and such marked out. Dogs are allowed and I've always used it to give my dog a good run around (he's on a 50ft bright pink lead, not running loose. I tend to stick to the edges near the hedges so I'm not disturbing anyone!)

Walking today and just been shouted at by man setting up archery targets. They're set out so 1/3 of the field is now unusable. I'd planned to loop round the full field (as shown by the blue line- red dot is where he was setting up. Blue blob is where I entered the field!) He also wasn't shooting at the time so I'm not sure why he felt the need to shout at me that I couldn't go that way!

It's a public field with multiple access points - aibu to think that archery belongs somewhere where the access can be more controlled? A kid could quite easily run in from the side access and right across where he'd plonked himself!

I think it's fine. It's not all day and it's a public park. Tbh, I think dogs cause more hassle than anyone else on playing fields.

Thanks for clearing it up, Greg. The OP said she didn’t see any signs, so perhaps it’s something you could check and make double sure that the signs are clearly visible.

Thanks for your input. We have been at the field two years now so I know we are still relatively new.

Like any sport we have seasons. We are currently indoors at Belle Vue for winter and don’t return until the end of March. And you will see more football as they enter their season.

From time to time you may see a handful of archers practice as they can not attend our usual club days and/or they require additional practice for competitions.

I don’t believe anyone would shout aggressively to you. They would just shout as it’s a big field and making you aware of possible danger.

If this becomes an ongoing problem we would have to consider closing the whole field, which is our right to do so. But that’s the last thing we want to do. The only time we endeavour to do this if and when we put large competitions on at our club.

When we return outdoors next year I would invite any of you to attend and have a taster session free of charge and it may make you more insightful of what we do and safety procedures or feel free to talk to archers if you’re down the field and they will happily explain.

Also to make you aware we are affiliated to and governed by ArcheryGB (AGB) in addition to holding insurance in relation to public liability.

Any Questions?.

Gregory Plews
Greatham Sports Field Secretary
Archery Club Secretary

Was he shooting or was he setting up? Maybe he hadn’t finished setting up?
Archery clubs are incredibly safety conscious, I’m sure that if you had gone back half an hour later you would not have got anywhere near anywhere dangerous.
Also, they only shoot in one direction, at the targets, they don’t need to stop people walking behind them.

Unfortunately we do have to stop people walking behind the targets despite signage/ropes.

Some people don’t think you’ll miss or an arrow will hurt!.

We follow guidance from our governing body known as the Rules of Shooting (RoS).

We have a buffer of 50 yards so if someone is shooting 70 yards they would need 120 yards. Which takes you to the edge of the field.

But when people see the target half way in the field they assume it’s safe and you can’t miss. Unfortunately many factors can make you miss including miss fires, equipment failures. This is why we have the buffer.

Love the informative and detailed update!

Well op, it isn’t a public field so that rather changes things doesn’t it.

Yes, is it the same field?

OP describes an open space owned by the PC for the village. Update describes a field owned by a trust and leased to a sports association.

They can't both be true of one site.

Are you sure Greg is talking about the same field? It may not be anything to do with his organisation, particularly when they're inside for the winter at the Bellevue.

A good example of the old adage: There's two sides to every story.

I'd guess Greg knows exactly which field the OP is talking about since there is a picture in the opening post.

If it is actually a Private field they better either improve the signage if the local people aren't aware its private or check for Rights of Way across the field...

It seems a bit strange the OP has never seen Archery there before. Usually in Villages people seem to know Everything.

But Greg also says 'Like any sport we have seasons. We are currently indoors at Belle Vue for winter and don’t return until the end of March. And you will see more football as they enter their season.'

So there are 3 possibilities:

1. there are a number of places with sports fields next to station road and Greg got the wrong one (there is one in my town)

2. the archer setting up today was not one of Greg's merry gang because they have moved inside for the winter

3. the op is either mistaken or lying about the ownership and access to the sports fields and probably the date as well.

Interesting how people default to option 3.

Well, Greg seems keen to be transparent and helpful so I am sure he and the OP can get the matter cleared up.

It does look like the same field, from some basic googling.

But if Greg's archers have moved indoors for winter, that must have been someone else??

exactly
has @IroningThrone seen this?

He did say those who cannot attended the inside sessions will practise outside didn’t he.

I think gregg is probably right because I reckon the archer will of already likely told him the story about the women with a dog who wasn’t pleased about his setting up. The fact the post has been flagged to him rather quickly too would imply a few people know about this dog walk and archery set up incident.

The only weird part is the thinking it’s public public land if it’s actually not. We have archery across the road on a field too a proper club.

1. There's a map in the opening post. It's unlikely that someone prepared to come on to the thread with specifics of ownership has got the wrong

2. Maybe OP has only just moved there and has made assumptions about the use of the field?

3. OP however asserts she established that the PC owns the field. This cannot be true of the field owned by a named trust and leased to the sports association.

4. It does seem likely that the signage needs to be improved, and/or the side gate that the OP mentions, needs to be permanently closed

5. Option 3 is very likely to be the default for those aware of the level of trolling on the site. But I agree there are other options. Which might also include grudge match if the lease for the field is new and OP resents the change

A quick Google shows the entrance to the field which says it is the Greatham Sports ground where the archery team are based, along with a football team- presumably they don't both use it at the same time😒

The village website makes no mention of the Archery club for example in its information about the sports field...

www.greathamvillage.co.uk/main/greatham-sportsfield-13

He also says that club members who can't always make official practise times will use the field as/when needed, though.

They don't have to list every single sport the space could be used for though.

They say it has a tennis court, a football pitch and "plenty of open space for other activities" - presumably archery falls under that category?

Probably busy ordering a less identifying dog lead 😂

(Disclaimer: the OP has done nothing wrong. Perfectly reasonable to ask for perspective / knowledge about a sport like archery on publicly accessible land )

On Google maps there is a red pointer in the field naming the archery club. If you click on that, there are pictures of people doing archery in the field. It seems well established.

It explains why the OP may not know that its permitted though. As seen by early replies, people don't expect archery on Common Land, which she had presumed it to be.