The membership has been bobbing around at the 50k to 75k for years now. I hear proclamations from the Trustees and staff that they intend to boost the membership to record breaking levels, yet it still stagnates. Compare this with British Cycling, an organisation that had a membership less that CUK before the 2012 AGM in Sheffield. Now British Cycling has a membership that is more than DOUBLE CUK's existing membership, boosted in part by many disillusioned ex CUK members. In reality, CUK has distanced itself from the members and is losing them as fast as it can recruit, what else did they expect? Is it just British Cycling that CUK members have converted to? NO- many other clubs have seen an increase in members, RSF and the National Clarion and others have also seen increases. I left the CUK in September this year and have joined the National Clarion, a club similar to the CTC as it was when I joined 1979, For £20 I get third party insurance, free legal representation, a magazine twice a year (that is not used for propaganda purposes to influence AGM votes) and membership discount at certain retailers. The Clarion is more apolitical these days and has 24 local groups, two years ago it had just 9 local groups so this gives you an indication of how fast the club is growing. Oh! and you don't have to wear a helmet. It is also democratic, anyone can put themselves forward as a committee member, you are not vetted to ascertain if you are 'suitable' to be forwarded for the ballot.
4th March 2020 Based on the figure in the above link the membership of BC is 161,111
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
Organizing events and representing cyclists' in southeast since 1988
Bikeability Instructor/Mechanic
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
yostumpy wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 7:19pm
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
That would not be acceptable on a large scale, the magazine is funded by adverts. If circulation goes down it would be a net cost to the cuk
Last edited by Philip Benstead on 28 Dec 2021, 8:42pm, edited 1 time in total.
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
Organizing events and representing cyclists' in southeast since 1988
Bikeability Instructor/Mechanic
yostumpy wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 7:19pm
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
yostumpy wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 7:19pm
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
Could it be that circulation figures attracts advertising revenues?
Cynic me
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
yostumpy wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 7:19pm
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
Could it be that circulation figures attracts advertising revenues?
Cynic me
see above
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
Organizing events and representing cyclists' in southeast since 1988
Bikeability Instructor/Mechanic
yostumpy wrote: ↑28 Dec 2021, 7:19pm
Why can't we have an 'opt out' section, so that we can choose NOT to recieve the magazine in the post, thus saving money. I don't even bother to open mine, it goes straight in the bin, it's mostly adverts anyway, which creates an income?????. So, shall we say £10 a year discount without the magazine?
I think, at least until recently, the magazine was cost-neutral, even possibly very slightly profitable. In that case an option for an opt out might have to be for a couple of quid extra on your subscription!
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
reohn2 wrote: ↑29 Dec 2021, 12:15pm
Could it be that circulation figures attracts advertising revenues?
Cynic me
I don't know why you'd consider that cynical, I thought it was pretty much the way all publications work. Whether that's the local free paper or the wedge of a National Sunday where you're probably not paying enough to cover the pulp consumed.