David (Horfield Mens Snooker Club) v. Goliath (Horfield Parish Church)

Preamble. Horfield Mens Snooker Club was established in 1932 in a purpose built annex attached to the Parish Hall. It has been used exclusively for that purpose since formation. In 2009 a letter was received by the Chairman of the Club stating that the room was required for other parish activities and the snooker club members were no longer welcome.
There has been an exchange of increasingly acrimonious letters culminating in the correspondence reproduced below.
For completeness, more information will be provided in due course.

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From Roy Tallis to Reverend Hadley

1st October 2010

Dear Reverend Hadley,

Horfield Mens Snooker Club

I'm writing to say how sorry I am that relationships seem to have suffered over the issue of the snooker room. If I caused any offence, please accept my apologies. It was done in the heat of the moment and because of a strong commitment I feel to the Parish of Horfield, though you may question that after some of the things I have said!


Yesterday we removed most of the personal items and some of the memorabilia. I hope this was done without any damage to the other items of furniture and fittings.


In order to simplify matters, I purchased the snooker table and some of the specific fittings from the club, and will be making arrangements to deal with these items in the next few days.


You may be aware that I think there is an arguable case that the Church has exceeded its authority in evicting us. I don't want that to be an issue between me, you and any members of the congregation, many of whom I still regard as friends after such a long association with the church. In fact, in the last few weeks I have been attending bell-ringing practice, ringing for the morning service and last week for a wedding. If there is any good to come out of this difficulty, and I am ever the optimist, it is that I am delighted to be associated more closely with the Church again.


If you could spare a little time in order for us to meet in a more agreeable way than via email or the press, I would be very grateful.


I am away on business most of next week but will be in Bristol on Friday 15th. I am also here this Friday, 8th., if that's a possibility.


Yours sincerely,


Roy Tallis


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1. Email from Paul Wilson, Parish Hall Manager, to Roy Tallis, member of snooker club.

Thursday, 21st October 2010

Dear Roy

It was agreed with the chair of the snooker club that all items would be removed by 15th October. I understand that the snooker table is now in your possession and has yet to be removed

As a gesture of good will we will extend that deadline to Friday 29th.

Please respond confirming that you will comply with this final request by return

Paul Wilson

Paul Wilson
paul.wilson@provelio.com

Provelio Limited
The Meeting House
Lewins Mead
Bristol BS1 2NN
Tel: 0117 302 0001
Fax: 0117 302 0002
Mobile: 07775 792 517

www.provelio.com

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2. Reply.

Thursday 21st October

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your email. Your gesture of good will is noted.

I also note that you request a reply 'by return', though I'm not sure precisely what is meant by that in this context.
It sounds heavily legal and I may not have complied with it, noting also that your email was sent at 5.33 a.m.
Do I understand correctly that it was blind-copied or forwarded separately to others? I believe this is not the recommended protocol with email correspondence.

I enjoyed a very pleasant lunch with John Hadley on Monday this week and, inter alia, he implied speed was not of the essence, my words not his, though I did say I would try and get things sorted by the end of this week or certainly by the end of next.

If that proves difficult for me, and I am away from Bristol on business from 25th., noon, until late on 28th, might I advise that you are careful when dealing with my property if you choose to remove it yourself?
No doubt Osborne Clarke will know the law relating to the handling of squatters' property. It would be unfortunate to incur further publicity for the Parish.


If you wish to purchase the property from me, that might be the best way to resolve this very unfortunate situation.

I would accept a reasonable offer.

I intend to visit the snooker room on Monday, 25th October at 10ish to give further thought to the problem, unless we have agreed a price by 9.30a.m. on that day.

I have open-copied this reply and your original to various people who have either a direct interest or have offered some support to the club over this issue.

Yours sincerely,


Roy


--
Roy Tallis,



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3. Follow on - Wilson to Tallis

22/10/2010

Roy

Thank you for your email

My mail was not blind copied to anyone

By return means asap which you have done - this was not legal speak, simply a request for the matter to be dealt with promptly

I can confidently speak on behalf of the church that we are not interested in purchase. My email stands that we need the space cleared by next week

Will wait to hear from you

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4. Tallis to Wilson

22/10/22010

Dear Paul,

I note the contents and tone of your very interesting reply.

Sincerely,

Roy

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5. Tallis to Wilson

22/10/2010

Dear Paul,

Please accept sincere apologies if I was wrong on the alleged copying or forwarding your original email.

A couple of points have been brought to my attention:

1. Were we not told that there would be a rent valuation?

2. You say you can confidently speak on behalf of the church. I'm not sure what to make of this and would be very keen to debate the matter in front of the parishioners to judge the mood. Certainly, of the people to whom I have spoken, more seem to offer support for our cause than for yours. You may speak on behalf of the Committee, though I would be surprised if the actions you have taken had unanimous support even of this group.

Some even see a conspiracy which may be triggered by the potential development of the land on which the Hall stands. I note this only for historical purposes but do hope we are not being evicted to give the advantage of vacant possession.

Yours sincerely,

Roy


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6. Wilson to Tallis

22/10/2010

Roy

The position of the pcc and therefore the church is as my first email this morning

Please remove the table by next friday as requested

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