PLEASE CELEBRATE WITH US OVER THE BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND TOAST SOME MUCH-NEEDED POSITIVITY!
Dear Members,
We are extremely pleased to provide what we believe is the most positive and significant update since the devastating fire at Churchdown Club.
POLICY LIABILITY HAS NOW BEEN ACCEPTED
After what has been a long, frustrating and, at times, extremely challenging period, our insurers have now formally accepted policy liability for the fire and the resulting claim.
Following our formal complaint, the insurers responded confirming acceptance of liability within 24 hours. There was then a further 24-hour delay in communicating this to us due to the relevant broker contact being on holiday.
This is a major milestone for Churchdown Club.
The insurer has accepted that there is no basis arising from the matters investigated to decline our policy response to the fire. This means that the fundamental question of whether our insurance policy responds to this devastating loss has now been resolved.
For the past nine weeks, the Committee have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to keep the claim moving.
We have dealt with insurers, loss adjusters, loss assessors, forensic investigators, our brokers and various other parties, while continually pressing for answers and challenging delays where we believed they were unreasonable.
There has been a considerable amount of correspondence, questioning, evidence gathering and, frankly, a great deal of back and forth between the Committee and those dealing with the claim.
That hard work has now paid off.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Acceptance of policy liability means that the fundamental question of whether our insurance policy responds to the fire has now been resolved. This is extremely important.
Until liability was accepted, the Club was effectively in limbo. We had no certainty that the policy would respond to the loss, making it extremely difficult to properly move forward with the substantial work required to rebuild and reinstate Churchdown Club. We can now move forward to the next stage.
NOW THE REAL DETAIL BEGINS
Although this is excellent news, it is important to understand that acceptance of liability does not mean the claim is now settled or that rebuilding starts tomorrow. Nor does it mean that the level of insurance will cover the rebuild cost and business interruption costs.
In many ways, this is where the detailed work really begins. We now need to work through the claim itself, including, but not restricted to:
- establishing the full extent and cost of the damage;
- building repairs and reinstatement;
- contents and equipment;
- specialist works;
- asbestos removal;
- structural engineering;
- cleaning and decontamination;
- compliance and regulatory requirements;
- business interruption and associated losses;
- valuations and supporting evidence;
- obtaining quotations and establishing costs;
- determining what can be repaired, what needs replacing and what needs completely rebuilding;
- obtaining multiple quotations where required, with the loss adjuster indicating that three quotations may be required or, alternatively, a formal tender process;
- addressing any potential underinsurance issues and their effect on the overall claim value;
- continuing weekly meetings with the loss adjuster;
- maintaining regular communication and calls with our brokers;
- obtaining quotations and evidence for lost or damaged items; and
- ultimately, negotiating and agreeing the overall claim with the insurers.
There will therefore be a considerable amount of further detail, discussion and negotiation between Churchdown Club, our loss assessor, the loss adjuster, insurers, contractors, surveyors, engineers and other specialists. We should not underestimate the amount of work that remains. These matters will need to be overseen and project-managed by Committee volunteers, adding considerably to an already exhausting process.
THE COMMITTEE’S WORK CONTINUES
The Committee has never lost sight of what this means for our members and the future of Churchdown Club.
We know that more than 700 members are understandably keen to see the Club reopened in its entirety and want to know when normality will return. A game of skittles was such a simple option, but now seems so far away. We are equally keen to get there.
However, we must make sure that the insurance claim is dealt with properly and that the Club does not agree to anything that could disadvantage it financially or affect the quality or extent of the eventual reinstatement.
We will therefore continue to challenge matters where necessary and make sure that the interests of Churchdown Club and its members remain at the centre of the process.
EXPENDITURE – ACCESS FOR ALL
Members will see additional works being carried out at the Club from 27 August. These works are to construct a disabled toilet, completing our Access for All project.
With the Club’s financial position clearly impacted by the fire, we want members to understand that we are not spending Churchdown Club’s money unwisely. The money being spent on these works was specifically fundraised for the Access for All project and is being used for exactly the purpose for which our members donated it.
We should also take a moment to recognise what our members have achieved. At an AGM, one member openly stated that the Access for All project would not be completed within their lifetime. Well, we are delighted to be able to say that it has now been completed.
We now have exactly what YOU – our members – fundraised for.
THANK YOU. WE DID IT!
A THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS
We would like to thank all of our members for their continued patience, understanding and support. The Committee members dealing with the fire and insurance claim are volunteers, and much of this work has taken place alongside normal employment and family commitments. The amount of time and effort required to deal with the fire, the insurance claim and everything surrounding it has been considerable.
There have undoubtedly been times when progress has felt painfully slow. There have also been times when the Committee has had to push hard, ask difficult questions and challenge decisions or delays. But we have continued to do so because Churchdown Club and its members deserve nothing less.
We can now finally say that we have crossed a very important hurdle.
POLICY LIABILITY HAS BEEN ACCEPTED.
That is a significant step forward, and we should all take a moment to recognise that. The next phase will involve a great deal of detail, discussion and negotiation. There is still a long road ahead, and we do not want to give members unrealistic expectations about how quickly everything can now happen. But we are no longer waiting for the fundamental insurance decision. We are moving forward.
So, over the Bank Holiday weekend, please allow yourselves a moment to celebrate this positive news. After everything that has happened over the past nine weeks, we think Churchdown Club has earned it. Raise a glass, celebrate the fact that a major hurdle has finally been overcome, and take some much-needed positivity from this news.
We will continue to work relentlessly on behalf of the Club and its members and will keep you updated as matters develop.
As always, we will provide as much information as we reasonably can.
Thank you for your continued support.
Churchdown Club Committee