Waterskiers at club under Heathrow flight path call for royal backing to help reopen it

 
princes club Pic: Andrew Newdigate
Andrew Newdigate/FLickr CC
Emer Martin28 January 2013

Members of a prestigious water-ski club closed by Heathrow Airport are calling for Prince William to back the campaign to open it again.

Princes Club, on a stretch of water underneath the airport’s flight path closed last November after 60 years, as Heathrow Airport Ltd prepared to buy the site.

Prince William and Princess Margaret, along with a host of celebrities and sports stars have skied at the water sports club, which was once one of Europe’s largest.

Dancing On Ice host Christine Bleakley trained there for her water-ski across the Channel for Sport Relief in 2010, along with DJs Chris Evans and Jonny Saunders.

Now campaigners are calling for airport bosses to re-open the club - which they closed for “water management objectives” - and hope that the club’s Royal and celebrity fans will back the bid to save it.

An online petition to save the club, set up last year, received nearly 2,000 signatures and a Facebook page for the campaign has more than 500 likes.

Campaigner Ingrid Stone said: “It is vital that we have the club. In terms of other water-skiing and wakeboarding clubs, there isn’t anywhere comparable to the facilities at Princes. We are desperate for those who have enjoyed the facilities come forward and help us save it for future generations.”

The club covers seven lakes set out over 128 hectares of land and includes a club house and squash courts.

The president of the International Water-ski & Wakeboard Federation, Kuno Ritschard is among those who have written to Colin Matthews, chief executive of Heathrow Airport Ltd, formerly BAA, to express his concern.

In a letter to Mr Matthews, Mr Ritschard said: “There is no question that Princes Club is a most important site for our sport, both nationally and internationally.

“It ranks on the highest level of importance to the future of our sport. The whole world of water-ski and wakeboard knows of the famous Princes Club in London.”

A vast list of world champion and record-holding skiers and wakeboarders – including Fred Winter, current British slalom water-ski champion - have enjoyed the facilities and are backing the campaign.

Mr Winter said: “Princes gave me my first start in water-skiing. It’s where I entered my first pro-competition and it would be ironic if with wakeboarding up for Olympic selection Heathrow can’t come up with a solution to support such a revered facility.”

The British Disabled Water-ski and Wakeboard Association are calling for the club to become available for injured service personnel returning from Afghanistan and Iraq as part of a rehabilitation programme.

Princes Club was sold to Heathrow by owner Bill Bottriell (CORR) after it ran into financial difficulties following years of dwindling membership numbers. Heathrow Airport Ltd reportedly paid between £2m and £3m for the club and completed the sale on January 15.

A spokeswoman for Heathrow said: “Heathrow has now agreed terms to acquire the land, lakes and buildings and we plan to primarily use the site for our water management objectives.

“In assessing any other potential uses for the site we have committed not to rule anything in or out at this stage and we are considering all options alongside the operational requirements for the lake - both now and in the future.”

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