ObviousSpectre said:
750K is quite steep though. It would have to be one wealthy club.
Considering this is what you can currently pick up in the Peak District for ?725K, I'd say ?750K for a 9 bedroom detached with over 4 acres and a former show cave is quite cheep.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75146933.html
I noticed Whernside Manor is also for sale at ?665K
Collectively, the BCA and its constituent bodies could easily afford to buy it, with plenty left over. If i'm not mistaken there is about ?250K in the pot earmarked by the donor for such a purchase.
With 9 bedrooms there's the potential for a half decent B&B income not to mention outdoor centres and local instructors utilising the barns which could be turned into bunk rooms, training and equipment storage rooms etc. etc. etc.
I'm sure there'd be plenty of people capable of taking on the running of it as the BCA National Caving Centre and living in.
I bet there'd be plenty of people willing to volunteer to get Weathercote Cave opened up again as a show cave with all the financial benefits that could potentially bring to the BCA.
You might have to change the Hidden Earth format a bit, but you wouldn't have to worry about finding a venue every year and save a small fortune in not having to rent a school.
The possibilities for generating a good income for BCA are numerous but I think the auction is maybe a bit too soon for the BCA to get everyone to agree, probably by about 10 years if the recent constitutional changes are anything to go by.
One thing is for sure, the ?1M+ currently sat in caving association bank accounts is doing nothing for British caving.
Mark