How to get permission to play airsoft in derelict/unused buildings?

[Sacarathe]

Been hoping someone serious would post this thread for a while.

As I said if you pay a fee to play or a fee to rent the site then its different as thats a business transaction and comes under a whole different set of rules.

To clarify, that's only if you pay the site owner, or make a profit? Someone has to pay the insurance/lawyers?

If no money passes to the land owner, the organiser makes no profit, or money to make it happen is raised collectively (spent by a single person), is that crossing the line?

If a 'person' organised this set up with the owner, insurance, police, council, etc, can people play airsoft at the site when the 'person' which organised the permissions is not present and did not give permission?

If unauthorised people play airsoft at the site, are they covered by each of the groups that need to give consent, or would that be trespass.

Is the presence of non players required for insurance, to supervise the players or protect the public.

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

There are some grey areas to it that I dont fully know about.

The people I play with have been doing this for a while. I got involved just by being in the right place at the the right time.

The guy who organised it initially works for a property management firm and hes always present when we play as he plays as well and has to unlock the building. Its invite only and all of us who play have signed multiple waivers. No one can play without permission.

As regards trespassers we had to drop a game in the summer as the building was broken into and the site wasnt secure.

Edit; Not sure about whether the presence of non players is required. A few of the guys take it in turns stepping out and marshalling but its more like a group of mates having a kick around in the park than a proper event. It gets pretty rough on occasion, the only downside is no pyro.

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

Yeah see we would be looking to set up a regular cqb site somewhere so we'd be a business

Then you need some professional advice and deep pockets to start. The shear amount of health and safety crap you would to deal with would be huge.

 

[K@rl]

Trigger you are totally missing the point of a risk assessment. It is to assess the risk to person,property, environment, etc. It isn't so that you can say well that's an issue and here's a wiaver to embemnifi me from any liability of harm as a result of a risk I know is present.

The idea of it is so that you can then implement measures in a method statement to reduce the risk. And then conduct another risk assessment. Untill all the risks are reasonably managed.

The fact that the person who is allowing you access to his/her site knows about potential risks only puts them more open to liability.

Whether people a pay or not or play or not you need insurance or you are putting yourself at risk.

 

[K@rl]

Yeah see we would be looking to set up a regular cqb site somewhere so we'd be a business

So you all have other incomes? It isn't as difficult as you may think. Yes you would need some start up capital. It is possible you could apply for grants etc as you are repurposing a deralict building. what you need most of is time!

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

I know what a risk assessment is and anything in the play area is made safe. The sort of things that you agree to are that if you cross a barrier into an area that is not deemed safe then you are at putting yourself in harms way and that none of the electricals are used that sort of crap. We dont play anywhere that is deemed unsafe.

As I said I am not 100% percent on all the legalities as I didnt organise it. What I do know is that it is possible to be done.

If someone did get injured and try and sue then maybe they could nothing is bulletproof, but you would still have to prove it was the site owners fault after you signed a waiver removing them from responsibility.

As I said earlier as well it did affect the building insurance in case of damage and that had to be covered, not sure who forked out for it though.

 

[kerby91]

Whilst I say business, we aren't looking to make any money out of it. Any profit would directly back into the site for improvements etc

 

[K@rl]

Understood but it is there fault for allowing you access. It would be for them to prove your injury was as a result of your negligence as u said if you go into a marked restricted access area. Or that the owner had taken every possible step to stop you hurting yourself even then it won't help them. Health and safety would shit the site faster Jan you could dial there number. There's always a way to sue someone that's why these slip trip and fall scum lawyers get so meny successful claims.

Side not, when they take on a no win no fee claim they take out insurance for there cost incase they lose. So for them it's win win.

 

[K@rl]

Whilst I say business, we aren't looking to make any money out of it. Any profit would directly back into the site for improvements etc

First thing to do is find a site that will let you. From there you will find it takes logical steps.

How meny of you are there that are looking to start up? Do any of you have any business exp?

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

Agreed if you really wanted to sue then maybe you could but when I first played I was shown around and all the known problem areas were barriered off. Everybody has signed off that they are familiar with the restrictions of the site and the no go areas.

Its the same as doing a job that has an element of risk all the restrictions and precautions in the world dont entirely prevent accidents but the jobs still allowed to be done and the person doing it does it knowing the risks.

There is a certain element of gentlemans handshake involved as well obviously with any venture like this.

At the end of the day its a group of people meeting up and having a laugh not an organised event.

If you put a football match on then you need medics and officials and all the health and safety but you dont need that when you go for a kick around in the park.

There are still lots of ways round a lot of health and safety things at the moment but it does get harder all the time so I am sure that at some point it will be impossible to do this sort of thing but at the moment loopholes obviously still exist.

 

[K@rl]

Agreed. We (different generations of my family) have been running a roofing contractors for over 55 years and have seen the rules change a lot. Even if we take every possible safety measure we are still liable although reduced if we do everything reasonably possible to manage risk.

 

[NickM]

Or ........ and this might be a wild idea, actually approach a regular site owner with a venue idea. Gunman, did or possibly still are running an incentive to find new sites. If you suggest a site that they take up there was some kind of reward, £1000 pops into my head but I am probably wrong.

UCAP have just taken on a lease for an ex prison near Bristol. They already have the knowhow, kit, experience and insurance contacts to get it up and running. You have no need to get involved other than enjoy the site.

If you are after running it as a business for yourself I simply wish you good luck!

 

[Hibernator]

Or ........ and this might be a wild idea, actually approach a regular site owner with a venue idea. Gunman, did or possibly still are running an incentive to find new sites. If you suggest a site that they take up there was some kind of reward, £1000 pops into my head but I am probably wrong.

UCAP have just taken on a lease for an ex prison near Bristol. They already have the knowhow, kit, experience and insurance contacts to get it up and running. You have no need to get involved other than enjoy the site.

If you are after running it as a business for yourself I simply wish you good luck!

Yeah - pretty sure First and Only do a similar thing, and you get to play there free for the life of the site or something. Might be worth checking!

 

[GunmanAirsoft]

We are always looking for new sites to run games at - if we start running regular monthly games at a new site which you have hooked us up with we do offer a £1000 finder's reward.

Get in touch with [email protected] if you think you have somewhere suitable and we'll do the rest.

If we are only able to use it a few times for special events I'm sure we can still work out some sort of reward...

 

[K@rl]

We are always looking for new sites to run games at - if we start running regular monthly games at a new site which you have hooked us up with we do offer a £1000 finder's reward.

Get in touch with [email protected] if you think you have somewhere suitable and we'll do the rest.

If we are only able to use it a few times for special events I'm sure we can still work out some sort of reward...

What area? And what kind of site? Cqb/woodland?

 

[Jambo88]

We are always looking for new sites to run games at - if we start running regular monthly games at a new site which you have hooked us up with we do offer a £1000 finder's reward.

Get in touch with [email protected] if you think you have somewhere suitable and we'll do the rest.

If we are only able to use it a few times for special events I'm sure we can still work out some sort of reward...

Will you do a site anywhere in the UK?

Check out nairns linoleum Kirkcaldy. It would be amazing.

Can I get my £1000 now

 

[GunmanAirsoft]

We will consider sites anywhere in the country, but are most likely to run regular events in the south of the contry as our office is based in Cambridgeshire.

We are interested in any type of site - CQB is preferred, but we are also looking for woodland.

Can I get my £1000 now

Cheque's in the post bud

 

[djben9]

We will consider sites anywhere in the country, but are most likely to run regular events in the south of the contry as our office is based in Cambridgeshire.

We are interested in any type of site - CQB is preferred, but we are also looking for woodland.

Cheque's in the post bud

Waterbeach Barracks....any chance you could get something there???!

 

[Jambo88]

We need airsoft on the beach.

 

[proffrink]

Have you tried running on sand for an extended period?