501st Airsoft, Tunbridge Wells

[Tackle]

@Joe Caliandro you mention "silly mistakes" by youngsters, care to elaborate on what they were ?

Also, the term "horrific" is surely overly dramatic on your part, it's the kinda word one uses if someone loses an eye, or suffers a life changing complicated fracture on site ?

End of the day, safety issues MUST be addressed when identified, failure to do so will damage more than just their reputation, a thumbs up just doesn't cut it.

??

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

Hi guys. Well as I have been mentioned in this topic, I have felt compelled to reply.

As I have replied to Ollies post, not sure where he got his facts from about me being a famous site reviewer,as this is the first review of a site I have played at that i have left. That in its self should show you his angle. As it was mentioned, I don't know where they got shouting a little kids from. The only little kids there were 3 younguns with their dad. I'm sure if I had shouted at them, their dad would have had words with me, but of course people are free to believe who they want. 

My main concern is the safety aspect, and I can assure you there were mags in guns in the safe zone. My wife would not remove her eye pro, but even after this she still wanted to give it another go. As it has been mentioned there is no point in making stuff up, especially when I have no affiliation to this or any other site. I want there to be more sites not less, so we get more choice.

I agree with a post above about maybe giving it another go, but to be honest with the cost and how long it takes to get there and back, I'd rather try a different site, than go back and give them more of our money, especially after all they could be bothered to do was give me a thumbs up. 

Make of the review what you will and yes, maybe take it with a pinch of salt if you wish and give it a try. I just hope if you do, you have a better SAFER experience than we did. 

I read your review and saw your side of things we're yet to hear back from Connor (501), with the cost of travel and how far you went you seemed to have left an honest review of your day, how you could have benefited from the review I can't see, it's not like you're a local competeting site 

And like all negative reviews regarding airsoft sites, the locals always gang up and try to tell you that you are wrong 

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last 

All the community wants is the truth from what happened that day so I'll sit back and watch you all duke it out until the truth rears it's head 

 

[JinxDuh]

Ahhh the age old, I made a motar tube that's unsafe but don't worry, it's on private land, we had permission and our marshals are first aid trained and it was fully tested and safe guarded 

I get it, we've all done stupid shit, but don't post it on Facebook, jesus christ can you imagine if someone had unfortunately got injured and that made the news? 

It would definitely put airsoft into scrutiny again, as a whole. It’s already a niche hobby that many people are put off by simply because of the replicas being… well, replicas of real pews. If that was me, I would test the “mortar” when the field is empty and with nobody around at all. The argument of “but nobody got hurt” is simply ridiculous, because nobody got hurt… this time. Mistakes happen, very easily. Then all of a sudden your little bit of “fun” becomes a big headache for the site owners and insurance. 

 

[atacam]

I read your review and saw your side of things we're yet to hear back from Connor (501), with the cost of travel and how far you went you seemed to have left an honest review of your day, how you could have benefited from the review I can't see, it's not like you're a local competeting site 

And like all negative reviews regarding airsoft sites, the locals always gang up and try to tell you that you are wrong 

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last 

All the community wants is the truth from what happened that day so I'll sit back and watch you all duke it out until the truth rears it's head 

That is fair. Of course this is only our experience, and there are always two sides to a story. Which is why I kept it private first of all and wanted to see what 501st would say. 

I have been encouraged to report this day, but as yet have declined to do so. I really hope they take note of my review and step up their safety massively, before someone gets hurt. But, when I saw this mortar post it made me cringe.

I totally agree do it at a time when no other customers are there to do your testing, as to be real, there aren't many places where you can actually test this sort of thing.

 

 

[Tackle]

Yep, testing shit is definitely only to be done in an empty site, & no one signs a waiver expecting to be exposed to homemade crap, never mind that the already feeble public liability insurance (if they even have it ?), would be completely voided by using homemade launchers or pyro.

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

If you have a genuine negative review of a site and something couldn't be resolved on the day by staff or you was simply laughed at I feel it must be voiced and the community needs to know about it 

What I can see from this is that one (3) out of towners came to a new site and didn't like it for the reasons you have pointed out and the guys that are local and have played since day 1 are defending it 

Both parties are within their right to do so, but if the complaint is a safety regard and that's being overlooked then there is a problem 

 

[Cannonfodder]

multiple witnesses both Marshall’s and players witnessing him screaming at kids.

IF this did happen then why didn't the marshals step in? Stopping incidents like this is part of their job and if they witnessed it but did nothing then it's on them.

As for the mortar, that's just a lawsuit waiting to happen. I just hope the owners see sense before it comes to that.

 

[atacam]

It now appears that my accuser has removed his post containing all these accusations? 

Or can I just not see it anymore?

UK Airsoft Community 2.0 | D.I.Y Mortar Fail ? | Facebook

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

It now appears that my accuser has removed his post containing all these accusations? 

Or can I just not see it anymore?

UK Airsoft Community 2.0 | D.I.Y Mortar Fail ? | Facebook

I can still see it, Ollie HD commented 1 hours ago 

"Pretty sure all Airsoft Mortars DIY ??" 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Hs3J1AYe41q751aN/

 

[atacam]

I can still see it, Ollie HD commented 1 hours ago 

"Pretty sure all Airsoft Mortars DIY ??" 

Sorry I mean his long post about me shouting at kids and being a serial bad reviewer and getting others to do so to feed my ego? 

 

[Jez_Armstrong]

Yes you're right he has deleted that long comment 

 

[Cannonfodder]

"Pretty sure all Airsoft Mortars DIY ??" 

10 seconds on Google shows this is bollocks

This Ollie bloke sounds like a bit of a twat to be honest. Does he have anything to do with running the site or is he just a regular player?

 

[Colin Allen]

Sorry I mean his long post about me shouting at kids and being a serial bad reviewer and getting others to do so to feed my ego? 

I wonder if someone pointed out UK law on defamation and libel?

 

[atacam]

I wonder if someone pointed out UK law on defamation and libel?

Possibly. Or he re-read it back to himself and realised it was a load of rubbish he had written, and just not true??

?

 

[Colin Allen]

IF this did happen then why didn't the marshals step in? Stopping incidents like this is part of their job and if they witnessed it but did nothing then it's on them.

As for the mortar, that's just a lawsuit waiting to happen. I just hope the owners see sense before it comes to that.

If it did happen, why didn't the children's parent(s) intervene?  I would have if someone had been screaming at my kids when they were young.

Possibly. Or he re-read it back to himself and realised it was a load of rubbish he had written, and just not true??

?

Equally possible!

 

[Colin Allen]

Nothing that I have seen in this thread has caused me to question the review; neither has it, or anything that I have seen on FB, encouraged me to visit 501st Airsoft.

 

[JinxDuh]

encouraged me to visit 501st Airsoft

What do you mean you don't want to get an improvised mortar round to the head?

 

[Colin Allen]

What do you mean you don't want to get an improvised mortar round to the head?

I would rather not, to be honest.

 

[GiantKiwi]

Given how diabolical the TLSFX one can be (Had a flying mortar'ed flashbang hit me in the head at one site in England), I definitely wouldn't be wanting to be downrange of a homebrew one.

Word of mouth is still fairly prevalent, and all the locals dogpiling (which by the way, is now a criminal offence under the Online Safety Bill 2023) on a negative review just confirms that the site is best avoided.

 

[LMKipper]

I've seen a few places allowing home made mortar tubes and honestly it gives me the chills.